Skip to main content

Full text of "Tiyo Soga: a page of South African mission work"

See other formats 


OGA. 


;^■s^»?;■^>ffi\^'■>^\■^:.:?»^■«5^\•^■^^^^^^^^^ 


<wi 


aplllllJlvlmu^lf0^^l,M)>)^^>l>^Ba«e«Wl^l^MMw 


l««r«S^^ 


j iiiifflwiiwiitiw^ 


mm 


li'iiiiriiiMiiiiii 


^  __       _  VM 


PRINCETON,    N.  J. 


Purchased  by  the  Hammill   Missionary  Fund. 

BV  3557  .S6  C42  1877 
Chalmers,  John  Aitken,  1837 

1888. 
Tiyo  Soga:  a  page  of  South 

Afrir^-n    mlcisirin    work 

Nntnber 


Cigo  Soga 


PRINTED    BY 

AIRD  AND   COGHILL, 

GLASGOW. 


'^ 


TIYO    SOGA: 


A  PAGE  OF  SOUTH  AFEICAN  MISSION  WORK. 


JOHN    a/cHALMERS. 


EDINBURGH:    ANDREW   ELLIOT. 

LONDON:    HODDER  &  STOUGHTON. 

GLASGOW  :    DAVID  BRYCE  &  SON. 

GRAHAMSTOWN,    CAPE  COLONY:    JAMES  KAY. 

187  7. 


"I    HAVE  REMARKED   THAT   A    TRUE    DELINEATION    OF  THE   SMALLEST 
MAN,    AND    HIS    SCENE    OF    PILGRIMAGE    THROUGH    LIFE,    IS    CAPABLE    OF 

INTERESTING  THE  GREATEST  ]MAN  :   that  all  men  are  to  an  imspuihdble 
degree  brothers,  each  man's  life  a  strange  emblem  of  every  man's  : 

AND  THAT  HUMAN  PORTRAITS,  FAITHFULLY   DRAWN,  ARE  OF  ALL  PICTURES 

THE  welcomest  ON  HUMAN  WALLS." — Life  of  Sterling. 


J^ 


PREFACE. 


>-H-e 


Soon  after  the  lamented  removal  of  the  eminent 
Missionary,  the  Kev.  TiYO  SoGA,  I  was  induced,  as  his 
fellow-labourer,  to  become  his  biographer.  The  delay 
in  the  production  of  this  volume  has  been  largely  owing 
to  the  daily  demands  of  my  Mission  work,  to  my  place 
on  the  Board  of  Bible  Translation,  and  to  my  distance 
from  the  Press. 

The  supervision  of  the  work,  on  its  way  through  the 
Press,  has  been  kindty  conducted  by  the  Rev.  Dr.  AiKMAN, 
of  Glasgow. 

The  book  is  now  offered  to  the  friends  of  Christian 
Missions,  and  very  specially  to  the  numerous  admirers 
of  TiYO  SoGA  in  Scotland,  in  the  Colony,  and  in  the 
Mission-field. 

J.  A.  C. 

Orahamstown,  1877. 


C  O  N  T  i:  N  T  S 


PAGE. 

The  Polygamtst's  Village,         .  .  .  .  .  i 

11. 
The  Chumie,  .......  13 

III. 

LOVEDALE,    --......  25 

IV. 

The  War  or  the  Axe,    -  -  -  -  .  -  .33 

V. 

TiYo's  First  Visit  to  .Scotland,  -  -  -  42 

VI. 
The  War  of  Mlan.teni,  -  .  -  -  -  51 

VII. 
Tiyo's  Second  Visit  to  Scotland,  -  -  -  64 

VIII. 
Tiyo's  Student  Life  Continued,  ....  76 

IX. 

The  Cattle  Killinc;  Delusion,  ....        101 

X. 

Tiyo's  Return  to  South  Africa,  .  -  -  -        130 


VUl 


CONTENTS. 


XL 

Getting  into  Harness-,  the  Mgwali, 

XII. 
In  Harness, 


Church  Building, 
Bearing  Precious  Seed,  - 
Dark  Shadows,    - 
Glimpses  of  Sunshine,    - 
Missionary  Extension,    - 
Literary  Labours, 


XIII. 


XIV. 


XV. 


XVI. 


XVII. 


XVIIL 


XIX. 

Hls  Eemoval  from  the  Mgwali, 

XX. 

In  the  Dark  Places  of  the  Earth,  - 

XXI. 


Characteristics, 


Sunset, 


XXIL 


PAGE. 

150 


164 


185 


224 


257 


280 


303 


340 


367 


391 


429 


458 


TIYO    SOGA: 

A  PAGE  OF  SOUTH  AFRICAN  MISSION  WORK. 


CHAPTER    I 

THE    POLYGAMIST'S    VILLAGE. 

"The  history  of  a  man's  childhood  is  the  description  of  his  parents  and 
environment :  this  is  his  inarticulate  but  highly  important  history,  in  those 
first  times;  while  of  articulate  he  has  yet  none." — Caklyle. 

TlYO  Soga's  father  is  a  polygamist;  the  husband  of  eight 
accredited  wives,  and  the  father  of  thirty-nine  children. 
His  plurality  of  wives  may  be  traced  to  his  rank.  As 
one  of  the  chief  councillors  of  the  Gaika  tribe,  it  would 
have  been  beneath  his  dignity,  according  to  the  Kafirs,  to 
be  the  husband  of  only  one  wife.  His  many  wives  are 
also  the  proof  of  his  having  many  cattle.  Some  may 
suppose  that  because  Kafir  women  are  bought  for  cattle 
they  are  serfs  to  their  husbands.  It  is  not  so.  The  men 
are  completely  at  the  mercy  of  their  wives.  If  a  Kafir 
rebukes  his  spouse,  or  administers  a  slight  corporal  pun- 
ishment for  some  great  oflfence,  she  instantly  rolls  up  her 
mat,  takes  her  youngest  child  on  her  back,  and  turns  her 
steps  to  her  native  kraal,  to  pour  out  her  grievances  into 
her  father's  ear.  The  father  has  a  motive  in  patiently 
listening  to  the  sorrows  of  his  offended  daughter.  To 
punish  his  son-in-law  for  his  temerity  and  impulsiveness 


2  TIYO   SOGA. 

he  invariably  demands  a  bullock  or  two  to  enrich  himself, 
ere  his  daughter  can  return  to  her  married  home.  The 
result  is  that  the  men  play  the  sycophant  to  their  wives, 
and  allow  them  very  much  of  their  own  way. 

A  polygamist's  village  is  composed  of  a  large  fold, 
in  which  his  cattle  are  penned  at  night.  A  few  yards 
higher  than  the  fold,  and  forming  a  semicircle  round  it, 
are  the  huts  of  the  wives  and  of  such  retainers  as  are 
distantly  related  to  him.  The  door  of  each  hut  opens 
towards  the  kraal.  The  lord  of  the  village  visits  the  huts 
in  rotation  and  on  certain  days  to  prevent  jealousy  among 
his  wives.  Every  piece  of  architecture  in  the  village  is 
circular ;  and,  as  a  satisfactorj^  reason,  the  owner  points 
to  the  sun,  moon,  and  winding  rivers  as  his  models. 

Every  such  village  boasts  of  a  blacksmith,  who  makes 
the  assegays,  the  brass  girdles  and  armlets;  of  a  pipe- 
maker,  whose  only  tools  are  a  hatchet,  a  knife,  and  a 
gimlet ;  of  a  tanner  and  tailor,  who  prepares  the  ox-hides, 
and  cuts  them  after  the  most  approved  fashion,  for  the 
women  to  wear  as  every-day-garments  or  as  court  dresses. 
Around  these  craftsmen,  leisurely  and  indolently  plying 
their  trades,  the  patriarch  of  the  village  and  his  associates 
lounge  and  bask  in  the  sun,  alternately  smoking  and 
sleeping,  or  at  intervals  listening  to  a  lawsuit,  or  hearing 
from  some  voluble  traveller  his  largely  embellished  tidings. 
They  converse  also  on  passing  events,  or  descant  upon  the 
excellencies  of  a  favourite  steed  or  milk-giving  cow.  The 
women  draw  water,  hew  wood,  repair  the  huts,  weed  the 
gardens,  and  prepare  the  food  for  the  mid-day  and  evening 
meals.  The  younger  boys  tend  the  calves  and  goats;  and 
those  bordering  on  manhood,  clad  in  heavy  sheepskin 
coverings,  and  with  their  woolly  heads  ornamented  by 
feathers,  herd   the   cattle.      The   delight   of  the  village 


THE   POLYGAMISTS   VILLAGE.  3 

patriarch  is  to  watch  his  cattle  on  their  return  at  nightfall 
to  be  milked  by  the  young  men,  whose  only  dress  on  such 
occasions  is  the  glittering  brass  girdles  on  their  loins. 
The  men  partake  of  the  mid-day  repast  by  themselves 
within  the  cattle  enclosure  ;  the  boys  crouch  at  a  distance, 
but  ready  to  clutch  the  food  which  their  seniors  may  throw 
to  them.  Each  man  has  his  favourite  whom  he  feeds,  to 
secure  him  as  a  messenger  when  he  has  need  of  such 
service.  The  women  in  a  hut,  along  with  the  younger 
branches,  do  ample  justice  to  the  dishes  of  milk  and 
baskets  of  corn  placed  before  them.  This  dull  monotony 
is  varied  by  the  visit  of  some  chief  on  a  begging  expedi- 
tion, a  marriage  festival,  the  slaughter  of  a  fat  bullock 
for  its  hide,  a  beer  party  in  honour  of  a  chief  or  influ- 
ential neighbour,  the  intonjane  dance — obscene  in  all  its 
aspects — a  death,  a.  hunt,  an  ox  racing,  the  presence  of  the 
family  priest  to  offer  sacrifice  on  the  serious  illness  of 
a  member  of  the  family,  or  mortality  among  the  cattle ; 
the  dance  of  the  youths  in  their  transition  from  boyhood 
to  manhood,  and  by  the  nocturnal  revelries  in  the  largest 
hut,  where  each  man  singly,  and  in  turn,  dances  to  the 
lusty  clapping  of  hands  and  the  most  barbarous  and 
obscene  songs  of  an  enraptured  audience.  Superstition 
pervades  almost  every  act  of  this  large  family.  An  infant, 
sleeping  soundly  on  its  mother's  back  and  taken  across 
a  stream  for  the  first  time,  must  needs  have  its  neck  or 
forehead  smeared  with  wet  clay  taken  from  the  water's 
edge  to  propitiate  the  mermaids  that  gambol  in  its  sedgy 
pools.  None  expectorates  without  obliterating  the  expec- 
toration. If  one  is  prostrated  by  disease  the  hair  of  a 
sacred  cow  is  plaited  and  tied  about  his  neck.  When  an 
owl  utters  its  doleful  wail,  it  is  supposed  to  be  out  on 
an  errand  of  destruction  for  its  owner.     Not  a  buzzard 


TIYO   SOGA. 


approaches  with  solemn  step  keeping  pace  to  its  dismal 
cry,  but  is  bringing  poverty  along  with  it.  Each  is 
jealous  of,  and  seems  secretly  bent  on  impoverishing  his 
neighbour.  Each  suspects  the  other  of  possessing  deadly 
charms,  or  of  being  in  league  with  a  miniature  elephant, 
wolf,  or  baboon,  which,  amid  the  darkness  of  night,  fulfils 
its  deadly  commission.  On  his  person,  and  in  his  tobacco 
pouch,  he  carries  secret  charms  to  ward  off  evil.  When  at 
work,  or  on  his  travels,  he  secretly  utters  brief  ejaculations 
to  the  unseen  spirits  to  befriend  him  in  his  hour  of  need. 
It  was  on  such  a  bench,  in  the  great  world-school,  that 
Tiyo  Soga  sat  for  the  first  few  years  of  his  life.  We 
shall  see  if  that  school  made  him  the  true  and  sterling 
man  he  became. 

The  date  of  a  Kafir  infant's  birth  is  invariably  marked 
by  some  noted  occurrence  during  that  year.  One  is  regis- 
tered in  the  memory  of  friends  as  having  been  born  in 
the  year  of  the  comet;  another  in  the  year  of  the  fruit- 
fulness  of  the  Karob  tree ;  another  in  the  year  of  the 
great  winter  flood ;  another  in  the  year  of  the  caterpillar; 
another  in  the  year  of  some  great  historical  event.  To 
approximate  the  birth-month  the  mother  relates  that  it 
was  in  the  spring-time,  when  the  crops  were  being  sown, 
between  the  "  increscent  and  decrescent  moon  ; "  or  it  was 
when  the  pleiades  appeared  before  the  dawn  above  the 
eastern  horizon.  The  year  of  Tiyo's  birth  is  memorable 
in  the  annals  of  Kafir  history.  How  his  biographer  came 
to  the  knowledge  of  it  is  as  follows : — On  one  occasion 
when  visiting  him,  and  whilst  looking  over  some  historical 
records  of  the  Cape  Colony,  and  after  reading  for  some 
time  "The  Wrongs  of  the  Kafir  Race,  by  Justus,"  Tiyo 
exclaimed,  "This  book  has  enabled  me  to  discover  the 
exact  year  of  my  birth.     My  mother  tells  me  I  was  born 


THE    POLYGAMISTS   VILLAGE.  5 

during  the  year  that  Makoma  was  expelled  from  the  Kat 
River,  and  I  find  that  event  took  place  in  1829." 

Sos^a,  the  son  of  Jotello,  beingj  one  of  the  chief  councillors 
of  Gaika,  was  invested  with  a  kind  of  magisterial  authority 
by  his  chief  Before  the  infirmities  of  old  age  told  upon 
him  he  was  a  tall,  muscular  man,  with  a  wild,  piercing 
eye.  Though  naturally  kind,  he  assumed  a  stern,  fierce 
manner  to  add  to  his  dignity.  As  a  conservative,  clinging 
tenaciously  to  the  ancient  customs  of  his  country,  he 
dreaded  tlie  new  religion  as  foreboding  a  revolution.  He 
claims  the  honour,  however,  of  being  the  first  Kafir  that 
"  whistled  between  the  stilts  of  a  plough,"  and  the  first  of 
his  race  who  utilized  the  waters  of  the  running  brook  for 
agricultural  purposes.  These  facts  have  been  recorded 
by  C.  L.  Stretch,  Esq.,  of  Glenavon,  late  member  of  the 
Legislative  Council,  in  his  diary,  dated  Fort  Cox,  Province 
of  Adelaide,  Thursday,  September  24,  1885 :  "  Makoma 
Sandilli  and  his  mother,  Sutu,  with  their  councillors, 
visited  the  camp  this  day.  The  very  immoderate  desire 
for  strong  drink  was  again  repeated.  It  painfully  prog- 
nosticates a  very  unsettled  and  miserable  future,  from 
which  it  seems  impossible  to  reclaim  Makoma.  When  I 
have  warned  him  of  the  consequences  to  himself  and  his 
tribe,  he  invariably  alludes  to  the  officers  and  the  English 
generally  as  using  wine  and  brandy,  and  adds,  *I  get 
drunk  when  the  sun  shines;  they  drink  in  the  dark  night 
like  wolves.' 

"One  of  the  visiting  group,  named  Soga,  attracted  my 
notice  on  this  and  on  former  occasions.  If  external  appear- 
ance indicates  talent  I  should  say  he  evidently  stands  out, 
from  his  countrymen  at  least,  as  a  Kafir  warrior,  possessing 
a  finely  developed  frame  with  a  brilliant  eye  and  acute 
glance.    When  it  pleased  him  to  communicate  his  hunting 


6  TIYO   SOGA. 

or  war  stories,  it  was  well  to  listea  and  learn;  but  he 
equalled  the  rest  in  begging  for  cattle,  as  having  lost  all 
in  the  war,  and  with  a  large  kraal  of  wives  and  children 
to  feed!  ....  I  remember  saying  to  Soga,  when 
he  was  begging  for  cattle,  'You  have  both  oxen  and  cows 
in  your  beautiful  Chumie  land,  and  if  you  will  take  the 
trouble  to  dig  them  out  of  the  field  you  will  be  relieved 
from  begging.'  The  fire  of  his  eye  kindled  with  dis- 
pleasure, and  raising  himself  he  said,  '  The  peacemaker  * 
thinks  me  a  child  to-day,'  and  then  followed  expressions 
of  disappointment  at  my  stinginess.  I  then  explained 
my  meaning,  and  told  him  that  people  got  wealthy  in  cows 
and  oxen  by  working  for  them,  and  if  he  would  follow 
my  advice,  and  plant  such  vegetables  as  the  military  at 
Fort-Cox  would  purchase,  and  directing  him  where  to  get 
seed,  he  would  have  no  occasion  to  beer  again. 

"  I  thought  no  more  of  Soga,  until  about  four  months 
afterwards  I  observed  a  Kafir  running  towards  my 
residence  from  the  camp,  exclaiming,  with  great  glee : 
'  Peacemaker,  I  have  got  them.'  Both  his  hands  exhibited 
a  good  deal  of  silver  in  half-crowns  and  shillings. 

"  On  leaving  me  in  September,  Soga  thought  of  my 
word,  and  '  did  not  let  it  run  about!  He  began  to  work, 
and  produced  peas,  onions,  barley  and  potatoes,  which 
he  brought  on  horseback  to  Fort-Cox,  and  for  which 
'Johnny,'  alias  the  Eedjackets  gave  him  the  silver.  He 
then  understood  how  cows  and  oxen  were  dug^  out  of  the 
earth. 

"I  related  the  anecdote  to  Colonel  Smith,  my  chief,  and 
as  he  was  always  ready  to  second  my  suggestions,  Soga 
got   a  new  plough  from  the  Government,  and  an  order  to 

*  The  name  by  whicli  Mr.  Stretch  was  known  among  the  Kafirs  was 
Uxolo'ilizwe:  The  world  at  peace,  or  the  peacemaker. 


THE  POLYGAMIST  S  VILLAGE.  7 

hire  people  from  the  Kat  River,  with  oxen  and  gear,  and 
also  instructors  in  the  A  B  C  of  ploughing. 

"  Fort-Cox,  9th  June,  183G. — Inspected  a  water-furrow 
made  by  Soga — the  first  attempt  of  the  kind  by  a  Kafir 
that  I  know  of — by  which  many  acres  of  land  can  be 
cultivated  on  the  Chumie,  and  irrigated. 

"Fort-Cox,  13th  July,  1836.  —  Johannes  Classens, 
Martinus  Miiller  and  Pretorius  Buise,  sent  by  order  of 
the  Government  to  assist  and  instruct  Soga  to  plough  the 
lands  he  has  lately  cleared." 

Thus  a  new  era  dawned  at  Soo^a's  villag^e ;  the  sneeze- 
wood  spade  gave  place  to  the  crooked  ploughshare;  the 
oxen,  which  hitherto  had  galloped  for  the  amusement  and 
fame  of  their  owner  over  the  plains  above  the  Chumie 
mountain,  were  now  yoked  a  willing  team,  and  ploughed 
the  virgin  soil;  the  brook  which  had  babbled  for  ages, 
undisturbed  in  its  onward  flow,  was  now  made  to  irrigate 
his  fields  and  crops — silent  emblems  these  of  a  still  greater 
power  which  was  secretly  at  work,  and  is  destined  yet 
to  revolutionize  the  moral  wastes  of  Southern  Africa.  By 
the  gift  of  the  plough  the  Government,  which  had  begun 
to  conquer,  showed  that  it  desired  to  achieve  this  more 
lasting  victory  over  barbarism,  indolence,  and  poverty. 

One  of  the  many  wives  of  a  Kafir  polygamist  claims 
the  honour  of  being  the  great  wife,  and  her  eldest  son 
takes  the  precedence  and  the  heirship.  The  others  hold 
a  subordinate  place,  and  are  to  some  extent  servants 
of  the  chief  wife.  The  rank  of  a  woman  is  generally  fixed 
at  her  marriage ;  and  although  occupying  an  honourable 
position,  it  not  unfrequently  happens  that  she  is  deposed 
for  some  misdemeanour  as  a  wife.  All  the  cattle,  accord- 
ing to  Kafir  law,  belong  to  the  "  great  house."  Whenever 
a  fresh  wife  is  married,  several  milk  cattle  are  set  apart 


8  TIYO   SOGA. 

publicly  in  presence  of  the  clan  for  her  support.  As  a 
rule,  they  do  not  revert  to  the  "  heir  "  on  the  death  of  the 
father,  but  remain  the  property  of  the  sons  of  these  wives. 
The  *'  great "  wife  may  be  the  first  married,  or  the  second, 
or  third.  The  dowry  for  the  great  wife  is  usually  paid 
by  the  father  or  near  relatives  of  the  husband ;  and  this 
great  wife  is  recognised  as  the  wife  of  the  village.  If 
the  wife  of  a  chief,  she  is  acknowledged  as  the  wife 
of  the  tribe,  and  the  cattle  are  paid  by  the  tribe.  The 
ceremony  of  seeking  an  alliance  is  as  follows :  The  friends 
of  the  man  in  search  of  a  wife  are  sent  with  an  assegay 
to  solicit  the  consent  of  the  parent  of  the  young  maiden, 
and,  after  stating  their  errand,  they  leave  the  assegay 
behind  them.  If  the  parents  and  relatives  of  the  damsel 
are  favourable  to  the  alliance,  they  retain  the  weapon 
of  war ;  if  unfavourable,  they  return  it.  If  there  is  no 
objection,  they  desire  to  see  the  cattle  that  the  bridegroom 
is  willing  to  give;  and  if  satisfied  with  the  number  and 
quality,  they  at  once  solicit  aid  from  their  nearest  kinsmen 
to  purchase  beads,  brass-wire,  black  silk  handkerchiefs, 
other  ornaments,  and  also  cooking  utensils.  When  the 
bride  is  fully  equipped,  she  goes  to  her  future  husband's 
village,  attended  by  several  male  and  maiden  acquaint- 
ances. Having  intimated  their  approach,  they  reach  the 
village  at  sunset,  where  a  hut  is  specially  set  apart  for  the 
bride  and  her  attendants,  a  goat  is  killed  for  their  supper, 
and  the  neighbours  are  invited  to  the  wedding.  For  three 
days  the  marriage  dances  continue,  and  on  the  afternoon 
of  the  third  day,  in  presence  of  a  vast  concourse  of  people, 
the  bride  issues  from  her  hut  attended  by  two  bridesmaids, 
each  wearinf::  three  mrdles,  cjirt  about  the  loins  with  an 
antelope's  skin;  leisurely  they  mince  their  way  towards 
the  cattle  kraal,  and,  as  the  observed  of  all  observers, 


THE   POLYGAMIST'S   VILLAGE.  9 

each  carries  an  assega}^  in  her  hand.  Having  reached  the 
entrance  to  the  kraal,  they  transfix  the  assegays  at  the 
posts  of  the  gate,  their  attendants  cast  a  blanket  round 
each  blushing  maiden,  and  thus  veiled,  they  are  led  back 
to  the  bride's  hut.  A  bullock  is  slaughtered,  and  the 
rejoicings  are  at  an  end.  The  bridal  party  remain  behind 
for  a  few  dsijs  to  complete  the  arrangements  about  the 
number  of  cattle  to  be  paid;  and  as  soon  as  this  is  amicably 
arranged  they  surrender  the  bride,  and  return  to  their 
home,  driving  the  dowry  with  them,  which  is  afterwards 
divided  among  the  friends  who  contributed  to  the  bride's 
outfit. 

Tiyo's  mother  was  the  great  wife  of  the  councillor  Soga. 
She  belonged  to  the  tribe  of  the  Amantinde — the  tribe  of 
Jan  Tshatshu  of  Exeter  Hall  celebrity.  It  is  very  likely 
that,  as  his  father  would  pay  all  the  cattle  for  her,  and  as 
all  the  arrangements  of  this  alliance  would  be  completed 
by  the  parents  on  both  sides,  she  never  saw  her  lord  and 
master  until  her  future  was  sealed  by  being  taken  to  his 
village.  This  wife,  Nosutu,  became  the  mother  of  nine 
children,  of  whom  Tiyo  was  the  seventh. 

Amongst  the  Kafirs,  proper  names  are  most  significant. 
The  names  of  children  are  suggested  by  the  circumstances 
of  their  birth,  or  to  express  the  feelings,  hopes,  or  wishes 
of  their  parents.  The  young  mother  often  indicates  by 
the  name  of  her  infant  her  opinion  of  the  treatment  which 
she  has  received  in  her  new  home,  or  the  estimation  in 
which  she  is  held  in  the  village  during  the  first  years  of 
her  married  life.  For  example,  there  are  Laliliwe,  the  for- 
saken; Tandeha,  the  lovable;  Qosani.^or  what  servest 
thou?  Hlekani,  Why  laughest  thou?  Nilcani,  What  givest 
thou  ?  The  name  of  a  man  is  frequently  changed  in  con- 
sequence of  some  remarkable  event  in  his  history,  or  some 


10  TIYO   SOCxA. 

prominent  feature  of  his  character.  A  man  who  lost 
nearly  all  the  teeth  in  his  upper  jaw,  received  the 
euphonious  name,  "  Father  of  gums,"  because  though  com- 
paratively young  he  had  only  gums  to  show  where  teeth 
should  have  been.  Another  is  known  by  the  name  of 
"Whirlwind,"  because  of  his  tempestuous  and  unrestrain- 
able  temper.  The  name  given  to  our  hero  at  his  birth, 
by  his  mother,  was  Sani — a  contraction  for  "  Zisani," 
What  bringest  thou  ?  Shortly  thereafter  it  was  changed 
to  Tiyo,  by  his  father,  after  an  influential  Galeka  councillor 
who  was  brave  on  the  battlefield,  and  wise  in  his  counsels 
at  the  great  place.  In  changing  his  son's  name,  Soga  may 
have  dimly  expressed  the  hope  that  Tiyo  would  become 
famous  in  his  country's  annals,  as  his  namesake  before 
him  had  been,  whereas  his  infant  boy  was  destined  to 
become  celebrated  for  his  wisdom  and  couragfe  in  the 
bloodless  conquests  of  the  gospel. 

A  singular  custom  prevails  among  Kafirs  at  the  birth 
of  a  child.  The  infant  is  washed  twice  a  day  with  a 
decoction  of  the  roots  and  leaves  of  a  medicinal  plant.  As 
the  child  is  undergoing  its  ablutions  a  fire  is  kindled,  and 
incense  made  from  the  leaves  and  twio-s  of  a  forest  tree.* 
Over  this  cloud  of  smoke  the  infant  is  swung  until  it 
is  thoroughly  dry,  after  which  it  is  bedaubed  with  pot- 
clay,  or  with  the  pulverised  bark  of  a  plant,  or  with  a 
mashed  snail.  This  process  is  continued  for  about  a 
fortnight,  and  is  said  by  the  Kafirs  to  possess  both 
strengthening  and  medicinal  virtues.  Before  the  mother 
returns  to  her  daily  avocations  a  bullock  is   killed.     On 

*  "Clausena  (Myaris)  inequalis  Oliver  described,  in  the  Flora  Cap, 
under  the  name  of  Myaris  inajqualis  Prese."  I  am  indebted  to  Prof. 
MacOwan,  of  Gill  Cottage,  Somerset  East,  for  the  botanical  name  of 
this  forest  tree. 


THE   POLYGAMIST's   VILLAGE.  11 

the  day  it  is  slaughtered  every  A^estige  is  placed  in  the 
hut  in  which  the  infant's  cry  was  first  heard;  there  it  is 
left  for  a  time  to  be  inspected  and  approved  by  the  spirits 
of  the  ancestors,  as  a  suitable  sacrifice.  On  the  following 
day,  neighbours  and  friends  assemble  and  devour  the 
meat,  with  the  exception  of  one  leg,  which  is  the  lawful 
property  of  the  priest,  who  not  only  prescribed  to  the 
mother  whilst  she  was  enciente,  but  also  performed  the 
rites  and  ceremonies  connected  with  the  sacrifice.  The 
skull  of  the  sacrificed  animal,  with  its  horns,  is  thereafter 
suspended  from  the  roof  of  the  hut  for  several  weeks.  When 
such  a  sacrifice  is  omitted,  and  misfortune  afterwards  befalls 
the  mother,  or  when  the  infant  is  seized  by  any  malady, 
or  becomes  puny  and  sickly,  the  priest  invariably  gives, 
as  the  real  reason,  the  dissatisfaction  of  the  ancestors, 
who  are  using  their  influence  to  bring  death  and  destruc- 
tion on  the  home,  and  who  refuse  to  be  pacified  until  the 
fattest  bullock  in  the  father's  kraal  is  killed.  The  omitted 
ceremony  is  then  observed ;  the  meat  is  devoured  by  kins- 
men and  neighbours — the  women  of  the  village,  however, 
refuse  to  taste  even  a  morsel  of  the  sacrifice.  After  the 
feast  the  bones,  large  and  small,  are  collected,  and  burned 
along  with  the  oflfal  and  the  fat,  and  the  branches  of  the 
sneezewood  tree,  within  the  cattle-kraal,  to  perfume  the 
nostrils  of  the  ancestors  with  the  fragrant  incense  of  the 
sacrifice.  So  deeply  rooted  is  the  belief,  in  the  potency  of 
this  custom  among  the  Kafirs,  that  when  an  infant  is  ill 
the  mother  wonders  why  it  should  be  so,  when  all  was 
done  to  make  her  child  healthy,  strong  and  active.  Even 
some  native  Christians  who  have  received  the  Christian 
sacrament  of  baptism,  named  after  that  custom,  attach  to 
it  a  superstitious  virtue.  Tiyo  Soga,  in  his  infancy,  passed 
through  this  fire  of  Moloch,  underwent  this  baptism  of 


12  TIYO   SOGA. 

smoke,  this  baptism  into  heathenism ;  a  bullock  was 
sacrificed,  and  the  household  gods  were  supposed  to  be 
appeased! 

There  is  nothing  in  life  at  such  a  village  either  to  stimu- 
late or  ennoble.  Amid  such  superstition  and  sensuality, 
barbarism  and  ignorance,  there  can  be  no  intellectual 
growth,  or  purity  of  life  ;  nothing  by  which  a  man  can  rise 
"  on  stepping-stones  to  higher  things;"  nothing  to  awaken 
lofty  religious  impressions,  or  to  promise  a  blessed  immor- 
tality. What  happiness  can  there  be  in  the  prospect  of 
becoming  a  floating  spirit,  yearning  only  to  be  remembered 
by  those  who  are  still  in  the  flesh  ?  What  satisfaction  is 
there  in  the  hope  of  snuffing  the  odour  of  burning  bones  ? 
Beyond  listening  to  the  voluble  bard  as  he  chants  the 
praises  of  the  fleetest  ox,  or  recounts  in  rhythmic  numbers 
the  deeds  of  valour  at  the  hunt,  or  on  the  battlefield  of  the 
brave  old  patriarch  of  the  village,  there  is  nothing  to  teach 
self-sacrifice,  or  how  to  live  for  others.  How  can  a  youth, 
nurtured  at  such  a  village,  become  a  teacher,  a  guide,  an 
example  ?  How  can  Tiyo  be  taught  that  there  is  a  God  who 
loves  all  men  and  seeks  the  homage  of  the  human  soul  ? 
How  can  he  know  of  that  one  blessed  life  of  self-sacrifice, 
which  on  the  cross  bore  the  sins  of  all  men,  even  Kafirs,  in 
His  own  body  ?  Is  there  nothing  in  the  world  which  may 
lead  him  out  of  ignorance  into  knowledge,  out  of  super- 
stition into  reverence  for  God,  out  of  that  blinding  homage 
for  the  spirits  of  his  ancestors  into  a  love  for  the  men  and 
women  of  his  country,  so  that  he  may  consecrate  his  life 
to  the  nrlorious  work  of  teachinof  them  how  to  live  for 
both  time  and  eternity  ?  Yes,  there  is  !  But  how,  and  by 
whom,  is  this  instruction  to  be  imparted  ? 


CHAPTER    II. 

THE    TYUME,     OR    CHUMIE. 

"Not  sedentary  all :  there  are  who  roam 
To  scatter  seeds  of  life  on  barbarous  shores." 

Not  far  from  the  polygamist's  village  was  one  of  those 
institutions  where,  according  to  the  sneer  of  the  great 
living  English  historian,  that  "  sort  of  something  called 
Christianity"  is  taught.  They,  nevertheless,  are  centres 
of  light  and  knowledge;  and  but  for  their  existence 
the  heathen  world  would  never  know  that  there  is  a 
higher  life  than  that  of  eating,  drinking,  and  making 
merry.  This  Chumie  mission  station,  so  close  to  Soga's 
kraal,  was  founded  in  1818  by  the  Rev.  John  Brownlee, 
who  has  noiselessly  left  the  world  better  than  he 
found  it.  The  chief  Gaika,  in  a  religious  mood,  sent 
"a  message  to  the  Government  of  the  Cape  Colony, 
requesting  that  Christian  teachers  might  be  sent  to  his 
country  to  instruct  his  children  in  religion,"  and  that 
these  teachers  would  be  the  medium  of  communication 
between  the  Colony  and  Kafirland.  Faith  in  a  missionary 
this  barbarian  chief  must  have  had.  Probably  from  what 
he  had  seen  of  Yanderkemp  and  Williams,  he  had  learned 
that  such  men  were  worthy  of  confidence.  The  appoint- 
ment was  offered  to  the  tall,  sinewy  Scotchman,  and  was 
at  once  accepted.  Mr.  Brownlee  viewed  it  as  a  favourable 
opportunity  in  Providence  for  missionary  effort  in  Kafir- 
land,  which  had  been  closed  against  the  gospel  for  several 


14  TIYO   SOGA. 

years.  After  examining  the  country  he  fixed  upon  the 
neighbourhood  of  the  Gwali  tributary  of  the  Chumie  river, 
as  a  suitable  locality  for  a  station.  Soga,  the  councillor 
and  head  man  of  the  district,  received  instructions  from  his 
chief  to  promote  the  interests  of  the  missionary.  In  a  short 
time  numbers  of  Kafirs  and  Gonas  who  had  been  under 
the  ministrations  of  the  late  Mr.  Williams,  and  who,  after 
his  death  and  because  of  war,  were  scattered  throughout 
the  country,  settled  down  on  what  has  since  been  known 
as  the  Chumie  Mission  Station.  Thus  encouraged,  this 
solitary  workman  entered  upon  his  duties  of  teaching, 
preaching,  and  conversing  on  religious  topics,  or,  mounted 
on  a  bullock,  itinerated  among  the  surrounding  kraals, 
but  without  neglecting  his  favourite  botanical  researches. 
Unaided  by  man,  except  what  he  could  obtain  from  the 
unskilled  labour  of  the  natives,  he  built  a  house  for  the 
worship  of  God  and  a  humble  dwelling  for  himself. 

There  was  afterwards  a  considerable  accession  to  the 
numbers  on  the  station.  The  new  comers  had  occasionally 
heard  the  late  Mr.  Williams,  and  man}^  of  them  were  less 
or  more  under  gospel  influences.  This  was  especially  the 
case  with  Ntsikana,  the  head  man  of  the  village  where 
these  people  had  resided.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Williams, 
he  kept  up  religious  services  with  his  people.  Before  his 
death,  about  the  beginning  of  1821,  he  enjoined  his  people 
to  remove  to  the  station  on  the  Gwali.  From  amongst 
them  several  have  arisen  to  assist  in  spreading  the  gospel 
among  their  countrymen.  A  true  man  in  every  sense  was 
Mr.  Brownlee.  He  was  not  eloquent  in  speech ;  but  his 
life  spoke  volumes.  He  made  no  noise  in  the  world.  He 
had  no  egotism,  no  desire  for  fame,  and  never  catered  for 
the  applause  of  men.  He  wrote  no  sensational  tales  of 
hair-breadth  escapes,  gave  no  romantic  pictures  of  the 


THE   CHUMIE.  15 

briojht  side  of  missioD  work,  and  filled  no  columns  of 
missionary  journals  with  thrilling  incidents.  He  did 
not  proclaim  his  own  deeds ;  but  in  his  loneliness  he 
performed  deeds  of  noble  self-sacrifice.  He  was  a  worker, 
and  did  his  work  manfull}^  although  the  great  world 
was  ignorant  of  his  name.  He  was  the  fittest  man  in 
ever}^  sense  to  lay  a  solid  foundation  for  mission  work 
in  Kafirland.  Bravest  of  the  brave,  he  toiled  alone  under 
the  eye  of  the  Great  Unseen — the  only  missionary  in 
Katirdom.  The  Kafir  could  not  comprehend  the  mysteries 
of  the  Christian  religion ;  but  there  was  something  in  the 
man  himself — in  his  unswerving  purpose,  his  patience, 
his  unruffled  temper,  his  calm,  contented  expression  of 
countenance,  his  perseverance,  his  unblemished  life — 
which  touched  a  chord,  and  made  the  Kafir  feel  that 
Brownlee  was  a  man  worthy  of  all  respect  and  reverence. 
He  was  one  of  the  grandest,  simplest,  most  patient  of  men; 
one  of  the  truest,  most  honourable,  and  accomplished  of 
missionaries ;  a  giant  in  stature,  brave  as  Paul,  and  at  the 
same  time  tender  hearted  as  a  child;  generous,  unselfish, 
hospitable;  one  of  the  benefactors  of  South  Africa,  though 
the  world  has  not  given  him  the  homage  which  it  has 
rendered  to  men  inferior  both  in  intellect  and  in  usefulness. 
Towards  the  close  of  1821,  Mr.  Brownlee  was  joined  by 
two  brother  Scotchmen,  Messrs.  Thomson  and  Bennie, 
who  laboured  with  him  for  some  time  in  the  same  field. 
These  three  men  encouraged  and  strengthened  each  other; 
and  more  extensive  operations  were  assumed.  Many 
hindrances  were,  however,  met  with  on  the  part  of  the 
chiefs,  witch  doctors,  and  the  heathen  Kafirs  generally. 
The  natives,  who  had  fled  to  the  station  as  a  "city  of 
refuge,"  were  subjected  to  many  acts  of  injustice  and 
violence    from    the    cruelties    of    witch    doctors,    which 


16  TIYO  SOGA. 

were  winked  at  by  the  paramount  chiefs.  Ultimately 
undisguised  opposition  was  manifested  by  Gaika.  On 
one  occasion,  we  are  informed  by  Mr.  Thomson,  when 
an  unreasonable  demand  of  the  chiefs  had  been  firmly 
resisted,  he  broke  out  into  a  state  of  passionate  excite- 
ment, and  after  a  long  harangue  ordered  the  missionaries 
to  leave  on  the  following  day.  Mr.  Brown] ee  and  the  other 
missionaries,  after  consultation,  agreed  on  their  line  of 
action.  They  told  the  chief  that  the  Master  whom  they 
served  had  told  them  how  to  act  in  such  cases  as  the 
present,  and  that  if  persecuted  in  one  city  they  must  flee 
to  another ;  and  now  that  he  had  ordered  them  to  leave 
his  country,  they  would  immediately  do  so,  and  go  to 
another  chief  and  people  willing  to  receive  them.  This 
reply  had  a  wonderful  effect  upon  the  chief.  He  had  not 
thouo^ht  of  such  a  result.  His  manner  chanojed :  the  mis- 
sionaries  were  not  to  be  too  much  hurried  in  their  move- 
ments; and  after  several  shifts,  he  made  the  most  abject 
apologies,  and  entreated  them  to  remain  in  his  country. 

About  1822  or  1823,  Mr.  Brownlee  had  a  severe  illness, 
which  necessitated  a  change.  After  his  recovery,  he  and 
Mrs.  Brownlee  visited  her  relatives  in  Svvellendam,  and 
afterwards  went  to  Cape  Town.  Whilst  there,  his  inter- 
course with  Dr.  Philip  resulted  in  Mr.  Brownlee  resuming 
his  connection  with  the  London  Missionary  Society.  On 
his  return  to  Kafirland  he  commenced  a  new  mission  on  the 
Buffalo  River,  which  afterwards  became  the  site  of  what  is 
now  King  William's  Town. 

The  only  memorials  commemorative  of  Mr.  Brownlee's 
honesty  of  purpose,  his  sterling  integrity,  his  worth  as  a 
man,  his  devotion  as  a  missionary,  and  his  ])urity  of  life, 
which  his  fellow-men  have  awarded  him,  were  two  small 
sums  of  money  raised  on  the  occasion  of  his  jubilee,  as  a 


THE   CHUMIE.  17 

missionary,  by  his  brother  missionaries  and  others.  One 
of  these  sums  was  set  apart  as  a  bursary  to  aid  native 
youths  in  studying  for  the  ministry.  The  other  was 
expended  on  the  purchase  of  a  town  clock  on  the  tower 
of  the  Government  offices  in  King  William's  Town — a 
fast  rising  European  settlement,  which  he  may  be  truly 
said  to  have  founded.  A  faithful  portrait  of  his  character, 
in  the  following  sonnet,  was  written  in  the  year  1825,  by 
Mr.  Thomas  Pringle,  under  the  title  of 

THE  GOOD  MISSIONARY. 

He  left  his  Christian  friends  and  native  strand, 

By  pitj'^  for  benighted  men  constrained; 

His  heart  was  fraught  with  charity  unfeigned, 

His  life  was  strict,  his  manners  meek  and  bland. 

Long  dwelt  he  lonely  in  a  heathen  land, 

In  want  and  weariness,  yet  ne'er  complained; 

But  laboured  that  the  lost  sheep  might  be  gained, 

Nor  seeking  recompense  from  human  hand. 

The  credit  of  the  arduous  works  he  wrought 

Was  reaped  by  other  men  who  came  behind; 

The  world  gave  him  no  honour — none  he  sought, 

But  cherished  Christ's  example  in  his  mind. 

To  one  great  aim  his  heart  and  hopes  were  given— 

To  serve  his  God  and  gather  souls  to  heaven. 

The  missionaries  above  named,  except  Mr.  Brownlee, 
were  sent  out  by  the  Glasgow  Missionary  Society.  After 
correspondence  with  the  Governor  of  the  Colony,  who 
was  then  in  England,  Messrs.  Thomson  and  Bennie  were 
appointed  to  join  Mr.  Brownlee  in  Kafirland.  Meanwhile, 
permission  to  enter  Kafirland  was  withheld  from  other 
missionaries,  and  all  intercourse  of  colonists  with  Kafirs 
was,  from  political  considerations,  strictly  prohibited  under 
severe  penalties.  The  restriction  was  afterwards  with- 
drawn, and  these  pioneers  had  great  pleasure  in  welcoming 
into  Kafirland  two  Wesley  an  missionaries,  Messrs.  Shaw 


18  TIYO   SOGA. 

and  Shepstone.  In  1821,  they  were  joined  by  the  Rev. 
John  Ross  from  Glasgow,  bearing  his  University  honours. 
These  devoted  men  laboured  together  with  great  cordiality 
and  mutual  esteem,  and  although  ignorant  of  the  Kafir 
language,  they  made  their  message  known  through  inter- 
preters. In  1827,  the  Rev.  William  Chalmers,  also  from 
Glasgow,  cast  in  his  lot  with  these  faithful  labourers, 
and  was  accompanied  by  Messrs.  Weir  and  M'Diarmid, 
mechanics.  For  the  extension  of  the  mission  the  elder 
missionaries  removed  to  other  spheres  of  usefulness,  and 
left  Mr.  Chalmers  to  carry  on  the  work  at  the  Chumie. 
The  missionaries  of  those  days,  with  salaries  which  a 
beardless  clerk  in  a  mercantile  house  would  now  scorn, 
had  not  only  to  preach  and  itinerate,  but  also  to  teach 
the  schools  at  their  stations.  Mr.  Chalmers  had  one 
perpetual  round  of  preaching  and  teaching.  From  records, 
still  extant,  we  learn  that  he  taught  a  school  with  an 
average  attendance  of  80  scholars.  It  is  a  singular  fact 
that  the  few  mission  schools  of  that  period  were  more 
largely  attended  than  those  of  the  present  day.  The 
numbers  were  greatly  reduced  by  an  outbreak  of  measles, 
which  the  parents  believed  to  be  propagated  by  the  school 
books.  There  was  also  jealousy  of  the  instruction,  when 
they  saw  that  their  children  were,  one  by  one,  renouncing 
their  heathen  mode  of  life.  Not  content  with  working  in 
a  circle  at  the  immediate  Chumie  Station,  Mr.  Chalmers 
established  four  elementary  schools  at  neighbouring  kraals, 
which  were  respectively  named  Burneffs,  Stvanston's, 
MitcheWs,  and  Struthers\  as  the  teachers  received  an 
annual  grant  of  £10  from  the  congregations  of  three 
Scotch  clergymen  and  from  a  Glasgow  merchant  bearing 
these  names.  An  ecclesiastical  record,  thirty  years  old, 
gives  a  quaint  description  of  school  work  at  the  Chumie, 


THE   CHUMIE.  19 

very  different  from  the  admirable  system  of  Government- 
aided  schools  established  by  Dr.  Dale,  the  accomplished 
Superintendent  General  of  Education. 

"  Extract  from  Minutes  of  an  ordinary  Meeting  of 
Presbytery,  held  at  Chumie  on  January  1st,  1840 : — 

"  The  Presbytery  proceeded  to  examine  the  schools  of 
the  district,  and  found  present  150  scholars,  of  whom  65 
were  males  and  85  females ;  46  were  dressed  in  European 
clothing.  Of  the  whole,  52  read  the  Scriptures  in  their 
own  language,  and  15  also  in  English;  5  read  the  history 
of  Joseph;  9  the  account  of  the  creation;  19  were  found 
in  the  spelling  book,  and  65  were  in  the  alphabet. 
Fourteen  exhibited  specimens  of  writing  on  paper,  and  29 
on  slates ;  14  also  presented  solved  questions  in  simple 
multiplication.  The  more  advanced  were  examined  in 
natural  history  and  in  the  Shorter  Catechism. 

"  The  Presbytery  expressed  their  satisfaction  with  the 
number  of  pupils  present,  their  approbation  of  the  order 
and  appearance  of  the  scholars,  and  noted  the  improvement 
since  their  last  examination. 

"  Signed  James  Laing,  Presbytery  Clerk." 

"When  it  is  considered  that  these  150  scholars,  in  various 
stages  of  training  from  the  alphabet  of  reading  to  the 
alphabet  of  theology,  came  from  the  huts  of  barbarians,  it 
is  not  wonderful  that  the  reverend  inspectors  should  have 
expressed  their  great  satisfaction. 

The  school,  named  for  the  Rev.  Dr.  Struthers  of  Glasgow, 
was  at  the  village  of  Soga,  and  was  taught  by  his  great  son, 
Festiri,  the  eldest  brother  of  Tiyo.  This  youth,  on  per- 
ceiving the  advantages  of  education,  not  seldom  deserted 
his  calling  as  a  herd  and  went  to  the  mission  school  at 
the  Chumie,  where  he  learned  to  read.     He  also  .slathered 


20  TIYO   SOGA. 

• 

the  children  at  his  father's  kraal,  and  for  two  years, 
without  fee  or  reward,  taught  them  in  a  wattle  house 
erected  by  his  mother  and  himself.  Soga  often  punished 
this  audacious  lad  for  his  carelessness  as  a  cattle  herd,  until 
he  found  him  immovable  and  encouraged  by  his  mother. 
Mr.  Chalmers  then  employed  him  to  teach  in  his  school, 
and  also  the  children  of  a  neis^hbourinor  hamlet.  The 
children  were  summoned  to  their  tasks  by  striking  with 
a  stone  an  old  iron  band  of  a  waggon-wheel  suspended 
betwixt  two  poles.  When  the  scholars  were  able  to  read 
they  were  drafted  off  to  the  central  school.  Among  the 
lirst  thus  promoted  to  a  higher  stage  were  Tiyo  and  two 
of  his  half  brothers.  Clad  in  sheepskin  karosses,  these 
three  boys,  in  rain  and  sunshine,  in  summer  and  winter, 
marched  daily  to  the  Chumie.  Tiyo  is  now  under  the 
training  of  his  missionary.  There  was  nothing  during 
those  early  days  to  prognosticate  his  destiny  as  the  first 
ordained  preacher  of  his  race.  The  instruction  was 
elementary  in  the  extreme.  None  would  have  asked 
which  of  the  lads  would  become  the  representative  man 
of  his  people  ?  The  teacher  did  not  perplex  himself  with 
such  problems.  Some  might  call  his  labour  drudgery; 
but  it  was  honest  work — it  was  God's  work.  Courage, 
brave  workman  !  Tiyo  Soga  is  one  of  these  boys,  and 
the  time  is  coming  when  he  will  be  the  spiritual  teacher 
and  guide  of  his  classmates  1  As  the  slender  lad,  in  his 
meagre  garb,  stood  daily  before  his  instructor  to  repeat 
his  task,  this  tenderest  of  men  felt  his  large  heart  warm- 
ing towards  the  Kafir  boy.  Discerning  in  Tiyo  a  nature 
capable  of  loftier  and  worthier  pursuits  than  herding  his 
father's  goats  and  calves,  Mr.  Chalmers  obtained  the 
consent  of  his  then  Christian  mother,  who  had  severed 
the    conjugal    relationship    with    her    husband,   though 


THE  CHUMIE.  21 

remaining  at  his  kraal,  to  allow  her  boy  to  reside  with 
him,  and  receive  as  a  compensation  for  small  services 
more  substantial  clothing.  Thus  did  Tiyo  gradually  and 
imperceptibly  drift  away  from  the  moorings  which  bound 
him  to  his  father's  kraal.  In  his  teacher's  house  he 
received  the  hallowed  influences  of  a  Christian  home. 
Thus  early  was  the  boy  weaned  from  a  barbarous  life. 

The  Chumie  was  one  of  those  choice  scenes  that 
"  connect  the  landscape  with  the  quiet  of  the  sky." 
The  peaceful  spot  was  fitted  to  develop  the  reflective 
faculty  of  the  soul.  The  gorgeous  scenery  around,  with 
its  ever-varying  shades  and  lights,  with  its  cascades,  its 
sequestered  nooks,  its  rich  foliage,  its  many-tinted  flowers 
rich  in  perfume;  with  its  bright  blue  skies  and  gorgeous 
moonlights;  with  its  contrasts  between  civilization  and 
barbarism,  made  indelible  photographs  of  beauty  on  the 
mind  to  be  recalled  in  after  years  when  the  world  wore  a 
sterner  and  more  cruel  aspect.  There  was  the  grand  old 
mountain,  with  its  deep  and  gloomy  forest.  There  was 
a  work  of  nature  in  its  majestic  playfulness,  the  tall 
indented  rock  crowning  the  lofty  height ;  and,  with  the 
sunshine  brightening  it,  and  the  clouds  and  glorified 
vapour  clustering  around,  it  would  have  stood  well  for 
the  original  of  Hawthorne's  "  Great  Stone-face."  There 
were  the  sounding  cataracts  from  the  mountain  springs, 
which  became  subdued  into  a  "soft  murmur"  as  they 
watered  the  plains  below.  There  was  the  dense  forest 
teeming  with  birds  of  every  plumage  that  kept  up  a  per- 
petual revelry  of  song.  There  were  the  numerous  beasts 
of  prey  which  had  their  lairs  high  up  in  the  mountain. 
There  was  the  large  cave  with  fantastic  drawings,  which 
the  self-taught  bushmen  have  left  behind  as  relics  of  their 
love  of  art,  and  which  in  times  of  war  was  a  sure  hiding 


22  TIYO   SOGA. 

place.  Nightly  the  hyena  and  the  wolf  howled  and  feasted 
on  the  flocks  of  the  people.  Not  a  year  passed  but  we 
gazed  with  astonishment  on  the  massive  lifeless  body  of 
a  wolf  or  tiger  killed  by  the  daring  huntsman.  There 
were  the  small  but  neat  white-washed  cottages  which 
Brownlee,  Thomson,  Bennie,  Ross,  Chalmers,  and  Weir 
had  assisted  the  natives  to  build.  There  were  the  fields 
and  orchard  tufts  which  in  summer-time  were  "clad  in 
one  green  hue."  There  was  the  mill  which  ground  the 
wheat  grown  on  the  station,  and  the  "  mill-dam  rushing 
down  with  noise."  There  was  the  octagon  church  at  the 
top  of  a  long  avenue,  with  its  clear-ringing  bell  summoning 
the  worshippers  to  matins,  and  the  avenue  itself  rang 
every  day  to  the  merry  shout  of  children  on  passing  to 
and  from  the  school.  Beside  the  church  the  crystal  water 
from  a  mountain  stream  gurgled  all  the  year  long ;  around 
the  church  were  the  orchards  belongino^  to  the  mission 
house,  where  the  bee  sipped  the  honey  from  the  jasmine, 
the  passion  flower,  and  the  honeysuckle;  where  the  orange 
tree  bore  its  golden  fruits  ;  where  the  banana  spread  out 
its  broad,  glossy  leaves ;  where  the  almond  tree  flourished, 
and  the  grapes  hung  in  heavy  clusters  from  the  vines. 

The  interior  of  the  church  on  Sundays  was  inspiring. 
To  a  youth,  some  remarkable  characters  worshipped  there. 
There  was  old  Jamba,  the  whipper  in,  who  on  Saturdays 
mounted  his  favourite  nag,  "  Centipede,"  and  went  forth 
to  announce  the  day  of  rest  to  the  villagers  around,  and 
who  in  church  sang  the  loudest,  the  heartiest,  and  the 
most  discordant.  A  bard  was  old  Jamba,  and  there  was 
no  greater  treat  in  church  than  to  hear  him  engage  in 
prayer,  and  go  over  one  by  one  in  striking  similes  the 
attributes  of  God.  There  was  Edward  Irving,  tall, 
solemn-faced,  clad  in  a  suit  of  cast-off  broad-cloth,  with 


THE   CHUMIE.  23 

long  staff  in  hand,  marching  with  noiseless  step  up  and 
down  the  aisles  during  service,  the  terror  of  every  boy, 
and  rousing  all  who  were  narcotized  by  the  close  atmo- 
sphere, or  perhaps  by  the  tones  of  the  preacher's  voice. 
There  was  old  Umhi,  the  huntsman,  who  bore  on  his  neck 
and  head  the  marks  of  a  fierce  encounter  with  a  tiger,  and 
who,  when  called  upon  to  lead  the  devotions  at  a  prayer- 
meeting,  invariably  gave  thanks  for  the  goodness  of  the 
"  grey  heads  "  beyond  the  sea,  who  had  sent  teachers  to 
reclaim  the  Kafir,  although  he  was  only  a  baboon  vaulting 
from  rock  to  rock.  Though  not  a  Darwinian  in  his  pro- 
fessed faith,  his  face  bore  some  slight  resemblance  to  that 
of  an  ape.  There  was  Tamo,  the  bee  hunter,  always  alert 
to  answer  the  mellow  chirp  of  the  honey-bird,  which  he 
followed  through  the  tangled  forest,  and  returned  laden 
with  a  bag  full  of  the  choicest  honey.  There  was  Leqe, 
the  leper,  bearing  the  plague-spot  on  her  sad  face,  but 
who,  though  she  had  lost  some  joints  of  her  fingers  and 
toes,  was  said  to  be  cured  by  the  skilful  application  of 
wolf's  fat.  There  was  Mqata,  the  sleeper,  who  no  sooner 
sat  himself  down  than  he  tickled  the  risible  faculties  of 
the  boys  by  the  loud  respirations  of  his  nasal  organ,  so  that 
he  had  to  be  speedily  roused  and  ejected  from  the  church 
to  prevent  further  annoyance.  There  was  Dukiuana,  the 
printer,  who,  because  he  managed  the  small  press,  and 
printed  the  school  books  and  the  leaflet  newspaper, 
entitled  The  Morning  Star,  from  which  we  read  of  the 
truthfulness  of  George  Washington,  was  looked  up  to  as  a 
very  oracle.  There  was  Nolatsho,  the  lunatic,  who,  as 
the  moon  became  full-orbed,  was  wont  to  stand  at  the  door 
of  her  hut  the  live-long  night  and  gesticulate  and  spend 
her  eloquence  on  the  silent,  shrinking,  unresponsive  stars. 
There  was  old  Fakella,  the  cripple,  who  on  all  fours  would 


24  TITO  SOGA. 

creep  up  the  aisle,  and  perch  herself  in  moody  thought  on 
the  pulpit  stairs.  There  was  Sufura,  the  sightless,  the 
merry-faced,  who,  as  he  sat  in  church,  rolled  his  large 
glazed  eyeballs  and  showed  his  white  teeth,  as  if  well 
pleased  with  the  dense  darkness  which  enveloped  him. 
There  was  also  the  crowd  of  red-painted  barbarians  with 
fantastic  head-gear,  and  invariably  dressed  as  if  for  a 
dance,  by  command  of  Tyali,  the  chief,  and  who  honoured 
the  missionary  more  than  the  gospel  he  preached. 

Such  were  some  of  the  scenes  which  wrought  on  the 
youthful  imagination  of  Tiyo,  now  drifting  slowly  away 
from  heathen  life.  War  has  made  a  wilderness  of  that 
lovely  spot.  The  mission  station  has  passed  into  the 
hands  of  a  European  farmer.  Although  sold,  and  re-sold, 
and  owned  by  men  belonging  to  a  race  full  of  energy 
and  industry,  a  melancholy  stillness  reigns  where  the 
sounds  of  active  mission  life  were  once  heard.  The  only 
memorial,  reminding  the  passer  by  that  the  Chumie  was 
once  a  mission  station,  is  a  consecrated  spot  by  the  Gwali 
stream  where  numerous  graves  remain  closed  until  the 
resurrection-morn.  Around  one  grave  is  a  stone  wall, 
within  which  is  a  slate  slab  bearing  the  inscription  that 
for  twenty  years  the  Kev.  William  Chalmers  laboured 
here,  and  died  in  harness  at  the  comparatively  early  age 
of  45  years. 


CHAPTER    III. 

LOVEDALE. 

"  Now  'tis  the  spring,  and  weeds  are  shallow  rooted; 
Suffer  them  now,  and  they'll  o'ergrow  the  garden, 
And  choke  the  herbs  for  want  of  husbandry." 

About  eisht  miles  from  Chumie  was  the  Mission  Station 
of  Lovedale,  with  its  Seminary,  presided  over  by  the 
Rev.  William  Govan,  who  was  then  laying  the  founda- 
tion of  one  of  the  most  important  institutions  for  the 
education  of  Kafir  youths  of  both  sexes.  When  this 
Seminary  was  instituted,  youths  from  other  denomina- 
tions than  the  Free  Church  were  admitted  on  paying 
a  small  fee  (£12  per  annum)  for  board  and  education. 
Few  sought  admission  on  these  terms,  and  as  the  Free 
Church  Mission,  to  which  the  Seminary  belonged,  sup- 
plied very  few  candidates,  the  number  of  native  pupils 
was  limited.  Mr.  Govan  was  greatly  discouraged,  and 
early  in  1844  he  proposed  to  his  brethren  in  the  mission 
that  they  should  offer  to  receive  two  pupils  from  other 
denominations  free  of  charge.  This  proposal  was  heartily 
adopted,  and  intimation  was  made  at  the  stations  of  what 
is  now  the  United  Presbyterian  Mission,  and  at  those  of 
the  London  Missionary  Society,  inviting  candidates  to 
appear  at  Lovedale  on  a  certain  day,  and  that  the  two  who 
stood  highest  in  the  competitive  examination  would  be 


26  TIYO  SOGA. 

admitted.  In  compliance  with  this  request,  Mr.  Chalmers 
sent  two  of  his  scholars  as  competitors.  Tiyo  was  by  no 
means  the  most  advanced  pupil  in  his  school;  but  he  was 
a  ofreat  favourite  because  of  his  truthfulness,  meekness, 
and  patience.  His  missionary,  however,  resolved  that  there 
should  be  no  favouritism.  He  therefore  fixed  a  day  for 
the  examination  of  the  lads  in  his  school  to  ascertain  which 
of  them  should  be  sent  as  a  candidate  to  Lovedale.  From 
an  answer  given  by  Tiyo,  the  whole  current  of  his  after 
life  was  changed.  "  Which  is  the  greatest  work  of  God?" 
asked  the  missionary  at  these  Kafir  boys.  Each  in  his  turn 
answered,  "  The  work  of  creation."  When  Tiyo's  turn 
came,  he  replied,  "  The  salvation  of  mankind,  because  it 
shows  God's  love."  That  answer  decided  the  missionary's 
choice.  The  boy  had  begun  to  think.  His  answer  was 
not  a  random  reply.  He  annexed  a  reason  to  his  answer, 
and  must  therefore  be  encouraged.  As  Tiyo  himself  told 
the  story,  his  teacher  was  unable  to  suppress  his  joy,  and 
clapped  his  hands,  shouting,  to  the  amazement  of  his 
pupils,  ''Well  done,  well  done,  Tiyo  ! " 

In  July,  1844,  Mr.  Chalmers  took  Tiyo  and  a  lad  much 
his  superior,  Ngxomhoti,  to  compete  for  the  free  scholar- 
ships at  Lovedale.  It  seemed  as  if  Tiyo  was  doomed  to 
disappointment,  for  a  very  bright  lad  had  been  brought  by 
the  Rev.  Henry  Calderwood.  Tiyo  was  the  youngest,  and 
had  received  the  fewest  advantages  of  all  the  competitors. 
He  cast  his  large  mild  eye  on  his  august  examiners,  won- 
dering what  the  result  would  be,  and  very  doubtful  of 
his  own  success.  As  the  examination  proceeded,  he  got 
lost  in  a  maze  of  confusion,  and  hardly  understood  what 
he  said  or  did.  The  whole  scene  was  new  to  him.  The 
class-room  seemed  a  prison.  Amongst  the  various  exercises 
prescribed  to  him  was  a  simple  question  in  subtraction. 


LOVEDALE.  27 

With  slate  in  hand  he  gazed  in  blank  dismay,  for  several 
minutes,  at  the  two  rows  of  figures.  The  Rev.  James  Laing, 
full  of  fatherly  sympathy  for  the  intelligent  and  timid  boy, 
and  wishing  to  extricate  him  from  his  difficulty,  volun- 
teered help  by  a  suggestion:  ''Take  away  the  lower  line 
from  the  upper,"  said  the  reverend  examiner.  Tiyo's  face 
brightened,  and  eagerly  grasping  at  the  suggestion,  he 
gave  to  the  words  a  literal  meaning,  and  quickly  wetting 
the  thumb  of  his  right  hand,  obliterated  with  one  stroke 
of  his  finger  the  formidable  lower  line  of  figures,  which 
had  stood  on  the  slate  like  the  second  column  of  a 
regiment  of  soldiers.  This  act  sealed  his  fate.  He 
must  return  to  the  Chumie,  and  narrate  with  shame  the 
story  of  his  failure.  Of  the  two  successful  candidates, 
the  one  from  the  Chumie,  a  few  years  afterwards,  gave 
himself  up  to  a  life  of  crime.  He  was  neither  truthful 
nor  honest,  and  soon  these  vices  asserted  their  supremacy, 
and  perverted  the  talents  committed  to  his  keeping. 
The  other,  from  Mr.  Calderwood's  station,  proved  the 
most  brilliant  native  pnpil  under  Mr.  Govan's  tuition;  but 
he  became  a  favourite  with  fast  men  of  another  colour, 
who  led  him  into  devious  paths,  and  but  a  few  years  ago 
he  died  a  peaceful  death,  after  having  led  the  prodigal's 
life.  Tiyo  would  have  been  lost  to  his  country  and  to 
the  mission  field  had  that  examination  decided  his  future 
life ;  but 

**  There's  a  divinity  that  shapes  our  ends, 
Rough  hew  them  how  we  will. " 

Convinced  that  his  favourite  pupil  was  a  lad  of  good 
character  and  promise,  and  morally  far  superior  to  those 
who  had  surpassed  him,  Mr.  Chalmers  arranged  for  Tiyo's 
education.  Mr.  Govan  cordially  accepted  the  charge,  as 
Mr.  Chalmers  had  spoken  in  the  very  highest  terms  of  his 


28  TIYO   SOGA. 

superior  moral  character.  Thus  Tiyo  was  admitted  into 
the  Lovedale  Seminary,  and  it  was  a  new  era  in  his 
hitherto  uneventful  life. 

"  One  might  be  led  to  infer,"  says  the  Rev.  Bryce  Ross, 
an  eye-witness  of  Tiyo's  defeat,  "  that  Tiyo's  failure  was 
owing  to  inferiority  in  mental  ability.  As  I  was  present 
at  the  examination,  and  also  taught  these  youths  whilst 
they  were  in  the  Lovedale  Seminary,  I  can  without  the 
slightest  hesitation  state  that  the  failure  was  not  in 
the  least  owing  to  inferiority  of  intellect,  but  solely  to 
Tiyo's  not  having  enjoyed  as  great  advantages  at  school 
previous  to  the  examination.  I  hold  decidedly  that  Tiyo 
was  an  apt  scholar,  that  his  powers  were  of  a  high  order, 
that  he  had  a  well-balanced  mind,  and  that  he  was  pos- 
sessed of  popular  gifts  in  an  eminent  degree.  I  differ 
from  those  who  think  that  his  future  success  was  owing 
to  his  painstaking,  which  had  to  overcome  a  natural 
dulness.  Nothing  of  the  sort.  But  while  I  hold  that 
his  intellectual  powers  were  of  a  high  order,  I  hold  also 
that  his  success  is  to  be  ascribed  to  a  beautiful  harmony 
between  these  and  his  moral  qualities.  I  wish  much 
his  young  countrymen  could  see  this.  While  many  of 
them  have  his  natural  abilities  but  not  his  opportunities, 
there  are  not  a  few  who  have  both  the  gifts  and  the 
opportunities,  and  fail  because  they  m  ill  not  use  them 
aright.  Some  do  not  put  forth  the  needed  exertion,  on 
account  of  that  folse  humility  which  takes  for  granted 
that  the  black  man  cannot  do  what  the  white  man 
can.  Others,  again,  are  prevented  from  improving  by  that 
conceit  and  pride  which  assume  that  any  acquirements 
of  theirs  are  nonpareil  as  far  as  other  natives  are  con- 
cerned. Tiyo  was  docile.  He  was  never  prevented  from 
employing  aright  the  powers  which  God  had  given  him, 


LOVEDALE.  29 

and  from  making  profitable  use  of  the  opportuiiiiies 
occurring  in  providence  for  the  improvement  of  hiaiself 
and  others,  either  by  the  false  humility  that  assumed  that 
because  he  was  a  Kafir  he  could  not  act  as  an  Eno-lishman 
or  by  the  self-destroying  pride  that  would  make  him  think 
he  was  a  monarch  amonsj  natives.  Whatever  was  rio-ht 
he  attempted,  because  it  was  right  he  should  attempt  it. 
I  well  remember  a  conversation  I  had  with  the  late  Dr. 
Nathanael  Paterson,  of  Glasgow,  upon  such  subjects.  He 
asked  me  particularly  what  effect  Tiyo's  being  singled  out, 
and  being  so  highly  privileged,  had  on  him.  He  told  me 
that  a  native  of  the  West  Coast  of  Africa,  who  attended 
the  Normal  Seminary  along  with  Tiyo,  after  promising 
well,  had  fallen  by  becoming  top-heavy;  and  he  added 
that  was  generally  the  case  with  those  youths  who  were 
treated  in  such  a  manner.  I  assured  him  that  such  was 
not  the  case  with  Tiyo.  '  Then,'  said  the  doctor,  '  there 
is  good  hope  of  him.'  Moreover,  Tiyo  himself  told  me, 
after  he  came  out  as  a  missionary,  that  what  greatly 
encouraged  him  when  at  college,  was  his  fellow-students 
telling  him  that  they  had  hope  of  him,  as  he  was  not 
puffed  up  with  conceit.  I  therefore  attach  the  greatest 
importance  to  this  quality  of  docility  in  Tiyo,  while  I  do 
not  undervalue  other  qualities  which  contributed  to  his 
success,  such  as  his  early  piety,  his  deep-rooted  patriotism 
and  his  philanthropy.  He  was  possessed  in  an  eminent 
degree  of  the  docility  of  such  men  as  Nathanael  and 
Timothy,  without  which,  supposing  he  had  the  other 
qualifications,  he  would  not  in  the  circumstances  have 
succeeded  as  he  did." 

The  discerning  eye  of  his  missionary  early  perceived  in 
Soga's  son  those  attributes  of  mind  which  alone  make  a 
true  man.    When  found  wanting  at  a  public  examination, 


so  TIYO   SOGA. 

his  patron  refuses  to  take  him  back  to  the  Chumie,  but 
gives  him  a  chance  in  life  by  handing  him  over  to  a  man 
in  every  way  capable  of  developing  the  latent  moral  and 
intellectual  energies  of  the  boy ;  and  soon  his  instructors 
discovered  why  Mr.  Chalmers  had  adopted  a  new  method 
of  securing  his  protege's  entrance  into  the  Lovedale 
Seminary. 

Now  began  the  struggle.  Away  from  the  scene  of  his 
childhood,  with  its  demoralizing  sights  and  sounds;  severed 
from  his  missionary,  who  had  given  him  the  start  in  life ; 
pressed  onwards  by  a  public  act  which  proved  that  his 
missionary,  beyond  all  others,  was  hopeful ;  at  an  academy 
where  the  various  races,  white,  black,  and  copper-coloured, 
so  far  as  receiving  instruction  was  concerned,  met  on 
common  ground,  and  where  a  rare  spirit  of  rivalry  pre- 
vailed ;  standing  the  lowest  in  his  class,  with  the  sting 
of  his  failure  wounding  him  the  more  he  thought  of  it, 
and  yet  withal  secretly  and  mercilessly  impelling  him,  he 
girded  himself  for  his  work.  Urged  by  the  ambition  of 
the  earnest  schoolboy,  he  crept  up  slowly  but  firmly, 
and  soon  he  was  alongside  of  his  victor,  Nyoka,  from 
Mr.  Calderwood's,  and  at  last  he  was  dux  in  all  his  classes 
save  one,  and  only  second  in  arithmetic. 

One  of  the  text  books  of  the  Institution  was  the  Scottish 
Assembly's  Shorter  Catechism — a  book  which  most  Scotch- 
men venerate  next  to  the  Bible  itself  It  is  told  that  on  a 
Saturday  morning,  when  the  boys  repeated  memoriter  the 
portion  they  had  mandated,  how  Nyoka  and  Tiyo  would 
repeat  one-half  of  the  book  in  English,  proofs  included, 
without  a  single  mistake  or  pause,  and  how  Nyoka, 
fretting  against  the  dull  boys  who  had  not  accomplished 
a  similar  feat  of  memory,  would  give  vent  to  his  eagerness 
in  a  flood  of  tears,  whilst  Tiyo;  calm,  but  quite  as  eager, 


LOVEDALE.  31 

reserved  his  tears  for  fitter  occasions.  "  He  showed,"  says 
Mr.  Bryce  Ross,  "at  that  early  age  that  sensitiveness  which 
some  think  he  obtained  from  education  or  civilization,  but 
which  I  have  every  reason  to  believe  was  natural  to  him, 
and  which  was  one  of  the  causes  of  his  early  removal. 
Soon  after  they  came  to  the  Seminary,  Ngxomboti 
represented  Tiyo  to  some  of  his  school-fellows  as  having 
been  disobedient  and  ungrateful  to  Mr.  Chalmers  whilst 
living  in  his  house.  I  well  remember  the  keenness  with 
which  poor  Tiyo  felt  this,  and  did  not  rest  satisfied  until 
Ngxomboti  was  brought  to  order  by  some  of  the  oldest 
pupils.  The  subsequent  career  of  these  lads  showed  that 
Tiyo,  and  not  Ngxomboti,  was  the  one  to  be  believed  in 
this  matter." 

Tiyo  is  now  in  a  new  sphere,  and  is  thrown  among  his 
equals  and  superiors — an  education  of  itself,  if  a  youth  is 
willing  to  learn.  He  is  abroad  in  the  world,  where  he 
must  either  advance  or  sink  never  to  rise  again.  There 
are  boys  with  whom  he  struggles  every  day  to  keep  his 
place  in  the  class.  The  slander  is  whispered  by  the  lad 
who  feels  that  his  inferior  is  graduall}?"  surpassing  him, 
and  tries  to  check  his  further  progress  by  injuring 
him  in  the  estimation  of  his  fellows.  But  as  there  are 
honourable  boys,  ever  ready  to  defend  the  weak  and 
maintain  the  right,  Tiyo,  writhing  under  an  injury  false 
and  cruel,  throws  himself  upon  them,  and  they  nobly 
vindicate  his  character. 

It  is  a  noticeable  fact  that  of  Tiyo's  schoolmates  at 
Lovedale  five  entered  the  ministry,  whilst  two  others,  after 
venturing  half  way,  turned  to  political  and  civilian  life. 
This,  perhaps,  is  owing  to  that  Saturday  exercise  which 
made  the  teaching  partake  of  a  theological  character. 
Whatever  the  reason  was,  whether  the  home  training  in 


32  TIYO   SOGA. 

the  mission  settlements,  or  the  natural  bent  of  their  own 
inclinations,  or  an  earnest  desire  to  engage  on  a  work 
which  demands  the  noblest  self-sacrifice,  it  is  an  undoubted 
fact  that,  although  Kafirland  has  become  more  densely 
populated  by  Europeans,  and  the  Loved  ale  Seminary  has 
risen  to  something  more  than  a  local  fame,  it  has  not 
again  sent  forth  so  many  preachers  of  the  gospel,  who 
were  classmates,  as  it  did  in  Tiyo's  school-days. 


CHAPTER    IV. 

"THE   WAR   OF   THE   AXE" — 1846. 

"  Wai'  is  in  those  who  draw  the  offensive  blade 
For  added  i^ower  and  gain,  sordid  and  despicable 
As  meanest  office  of  the  worldly  churl." 

Whilst  Tiyo  was  pursuing  his  studies  at  the  Lovedale 
Seminary,  a  cloud  like  a  man's  hand  was  rising  over  the 
political  horizon,  and  gathering  strength  as  each  day  passed, 
until  it  hung  like  a  funeral  pall  over  the  whole  eastern 
frontier  of  the  Cape  Colony,  ready  to  burst  in  all  its  force 
and  fury  whenever  its  massive  folds  were  touched.  The 
Colonists  had  been  tried  beyond  endurance  by  excessive 
and  oft-repeated  depredations  made  on  their  flocks  and 
herds,  and  were  eager  to  be  revenged  upon  the  native 
races  for  their  thieving  propensities.  On  the  other  hand, 
the  Kafirs  fretted  and  fumed  at  seeing  the  country  of 
their  forefathers  gradually  passing  into  the  possession  of 
the  conquering  race.  The  boundary  line  was  a  source  of 
perpetual  irritation  between  the  two  races.  The  Kafir 
watched  for  a  fitting  opportunity  to  measure  his  strength 
with  the  Englishman,  and  hoped  to  drive  his  enemy  to 
the  dark  depths  of  the  deep  blue  sea.  There  was  soon  an 
opportunity  for  an  open  rupture.  In  the  month  of  March 
of  the  notable  1846,  a  Kafir  of  Tolas'  tribe,  in  an  evil  hour, 
stole  an  axe  whilst  lounging  at  one  of  the  trading  houses 
at  Fort  Beaufort,  a  military  settlement  where  Makoma 
the  chief,  neglecting  the  interests  of  his  people  at  his  own 


84  TITO   SOGA. 

kraal,  became  a  frequenter  of  the  canteens.  Instead  of 
watchinof  over  his  tribe  and  endeavourins:  to  elevate  them, 
he  was  gradually  acquiring  dissipated  habits,  and  was 
daily  assisted  home  to  his  village  in  a  state  of  helpless 
inebriety.  The  thief  of  the  axe  was  apprehended,  and  the 
authorities  resolved  to  send  him  to  trial  at  Grahamstown. 
According  to  the  treaties  between  the  Colonial  Govern- 
ment and  the  Kafirs,  if  any  colonist  was  found  stealing 
within  Kafirland  he  was  to  be  tried  according  to  Kafir 
law;  and  if  any  Kafir  was  found  committing  the  same 
oflfence  within  the  Colony,  he  was  to  be  tried  according  to 
Colonial  law.  On  the  16th  of  March,  therefore,  the  Justice 
of  Peace  at  Fort  Beaufort  placed  four  prisoners  committed 
for  trial  in  the  custody  of  four  armed  Hottentots  to  escort 
them  to  Grahamstown.  Amongst  the  prisoners  was  the 
axe-stealer,  whose  liberation  his  chief  had  previously 
solicited  from  the  Fort  Beaufort  authorities,  but  without 
success.  The  party  in  charge  of  the  prisoners  had  not  gone 
far  on  the  Grahamstown  route  when  they  were  attacked 
by  a  troop  of  armed  Kafirs,  who  rescued  the  culprit  and 
murdered  the  unfortunate  prisoner  to  whom  he  was  man- 
acled. The  escort,  when  attacked,  fired  upon  the  Kafirs, 
killed  the  prisoner's  brother  on  the  spot,  and  seriously 
wounded  another.  As  soon  as  the  tidings  reached  the  ears 
of  the  Lieutenant  Governor  he  made  a  demand  upon  the 
chiefs  for  the  surrender  of  the  rescued  prisoners,  and  of  all 
the  perpetrators  of  this  outrage.  Sandilli,  the  paramount 
Gaika  chief,  replied  that  he  did  not  understand  that  any 
treaties  in  existence  required  that  a  person  stealing  so 
small  a  thing  as  an  axe  should  be  sent  to  Grahamstown ; 
that  he  considered  imprisonment  at  Fort  Beaufort  a  suffi- 
cient punishment  for  so  trifling  an  offence,  and  that  the 
treaty  only  referred  to  the  tlieft  of  horses  and  cattle. 


"THE   WAR   OF   THE   AXE."  35 

Moreover,  said  Sanclilli,  one  man  has  been  murdered  on 
each  side ;  and  as  the  Government  is  weeping  for  its  man 
and  the  Kafirs  for  their  man,  the  matter  should  end  there. 
When  this  demand  was  obstinately  refused  by  the  chiefs, 
the  Lieutenant  Governor  at  once  sounded  the  tocsin  of 
war,  and  issued  the  following  order  to  the  Diplomatic 
Agent,  C.  L.  Stretch,  Esq.,  for  an  immediate  flight  into 
the  Colony  of  all  Europeans  resident  in  Kafirland : — 

"  Grahamstown,  ^Ist  March,  1846. 
"  Sir,— I  am  directed  by  the  Lieutenant  Governor  to 
desire  that  you  will  take  instant  steps  for  acquainting 
the  missionaries  and  traders  in  Kafirland  with  the  state 
of  matters,  and  of  the  intention  of  the  Government,  in 
order  to  their  moving  into  the  Colony  as  soon  as 
possible. 

"  (Signed)        H.  Hudson,  Acting  Secy." 

Disastrous  were  the  effects  which  followed  the  theft  of 
that  hatchet !  How  great  a  fire  does  a  small  spark  kindle ! 
Surely,  as  the  world  grows  older,  men  will  become  wiser. 
What  butchery  of  human  life  followed  the  petty  theft ! 
What  a  waste  of  British  money  !  What  taxation  of  the 
British  purse !  What  nameless,  indescribable  horrors 
followed!  What  household  joys  were  shattered!  What 
sacred  family  relationships  were  severed!  What  happy 
homes  were  broken  up,  only  the  suffering  survivors  of 
these  disasters  can  most  faintly  describe !  The  march  of 
civilization  was  checked ;  the  agriculturist  was  ruthlessly 
driven  from  his  farm  and  homestead,  the  missionary  from 
his  church  and  station,  and  the  trader  from  his  mer- 
chandise. The  war  cry  of  the  Kafir  and  the  bugle  of  the 
British  soldier  rang  and  echoed  throughout  the  grand 
forest-clad  mountains  of  the  Amatole,  whilst  the  civilized 


36  TIYO   SOGA. 

and  the  barbarian  madly  shed  each  other's  blood.  The 
command  of  the  Saviour  to  go  forth  and  preach  the  gospel 
was  arrested  so  far  as  concerned  the  Kafir  nation.  Anxiety 
and  danger  and  carnage  prevailed.  Surely  in  all  this 
there  is  something  sadly  amiss  which  will  be  "  unriddled 
by  and  by." 

As  a  result  of  the  above  order  the  Lovedale  Institution 
was  broken  up,  the  pupils  were  dispersed,  and  the  mission- 
aries of  the  Scotch  Societies  abandoning  their  peaceful 
homes,  hallowed  by  many  sacred  associations,  fled  with 
their  families  for  protection  to  Fort  Armstrong,  on  the 
Kat  River.  These  men  of  peace  suffered  the  greatest 
privations,  and  lost  their  little  all.  Amongst  the  refugees 
at  the  Kat  River  were  Tiyo  and  his  mother.  Tiyo  was 
severed  from  his  class-mates,  never  again  to  sit  with  them 
on  the  same  benches.  Whilst  men,  women,  and  children 
were  dying  fast  from  hunger,  the  assegay,  the  rifle,  and 
cannon  balls,  Tiyo  found  stealthy  opportunities  for  pur- 
suing his  studies.  He  passed  a  part  of  the  long  dreary 
evenings  over  his  school  books,  and  without  means  to 
purchase  even  a  taper.  His  mother  daity  collected  and 
prepared  sneezewood  splinters  for  a  fire  on  the  long  winter 
evenings,  so  that  her  boy  might  see  to  read  his  books.  As 
Tiyo  sat  night  after  night,  with  book  in  hand  by  the 
blazing  firelight,  reading  to  himself,  his  untutored  mother 
watched  over  him,  and  wondered  what  attraction  these 
pages  had,  that  he  should  be  so  assiduous  in  his  perusal  of 
them.  Whilst  she  could  not  foresee  the  future  of  her  son, 
she  ceased  not,  amid  the  turmoils  and  sorrows  of  war,  to 
commend  him  to  the  gracious  keeping  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace,  who  makes  the  wrath  of  man  praise  Him. 

One  of  the  disastrous  consequences  of  the  theft  of  the 
axe   was  the  total   destruction  of  the   Chumie  Mission 


"THE   WAR   OF   THE   AXE."  37 

Station.  The  church  and  mission-house,  with  the  large 
and  valuable  library  of  the  missionary,  were  reduced  to 
ashes.  The  types  of  the  printing-press  were  converted 
into  bullets,  and  pages  of  the  sacred  books  into  wadding, 
for  the  guns  of  the  Dutch  Boers.  When  Mr.  Chalmers 
returned  to  the  Chumie  from  Fort  Armstrong,  he  found 
the  once  beautiful  station  a  heap  of  ruins.  One  of  the 
last  records  of  his  life,  written  amid  the  solitude  and  deso- 
lation, is  as  follows : — "  I  write  amidst  the  ruins  of  Chumie. 
Everything  is  burned.  Even  the  fruit-trees  have  not 
escaped  the  devouring  element.  The  most  severe  trial  to 
me,  and  that  which  I  feel  most,  is  the  burning  of  the  pretty 
church.  On  the  blackened  walls  of  that  church,  within 
which  formerly  the  barbarians  so  often  congregated  with 
us,  and  where  so  frequently  the  songs  of  Zion  were  sung, 
may  now  be  inscribed,  '  Ichabod,'  the  glory  is  departed. 
Ah!  I  cannot  but  feel  sore,  very  sore  here;  and  I  often 
feel  as  if  it  were  too  much  for  me  to  bear.  It  was  the 
delight  of  my  eye,  and  the  rejoicing  of  my  heart  during 
my  missionary  pilgrimage;  and  as  I  look  on  its  ruined 
walls  and  behold  all  the  desolation  around,  I  do  feel 
as  if  my  work  has  been  accomplished,  and  my  warfare 
ended." 

It  is  worthy  of  record  that  amid  all  the  conflagration 
and  carnage,  the  native  Christians  were  loyal  to  the  British 
Government.  "The  orderly,  quiet  conduct  of  these  people," 
wrote  Captain  Sutton  to  their  missionary,  "  in  camp, 
and  their  readiness  to  meet  the  enemy  in  defence  of  this 
settlement,  wherever  they  had  an  opportunity  of  doing 
so,  cannot  be  too  highly  spoken  of." 

The  step  taken  by  Mr.  Govan  to  place  the  Lovedale 
Seminary  on  a  broader  basis,  and  give  it  less  of  a  sectarian 
character,  by  admitting  pupils  from  other  missions  (some 


88  TIYO   SOGA. 

of  whom  were  to  be  free  of  charge),  when  reported  to  the 
Foreign  Missions  Committee  of  the  Free  Church,  called 
forth  their  strong  disapproval.     The  dissatisfaction  sorely 
wounded  Mr.  Govan,  and  all  the  more  that  the  support  of 
the  Institution  entailed  very  little  expense  on  the  Home 
Church  by  its  doors  being  thrown  open  to  pupils  from 
other  missions.     He  therefore  offered  to  resign  so  soon  as 
the  Committee  could  obtain  a  successor.     In  those  days 
correspondence  with  Scotland  was  tardy.     The  "  War  of 
the  Axe  "  was  raging ;  Lovedale  was  closed ;  Mr.  Govan 
was  on  the  homeward  route  ere  he  received  a  reply  to 
his  letter  of  resignation.     It  is  not  for  the  purpose  of 
reviewing  the  controversy  betwixt  Mr.  Govan  and  the 
Foreign  Mission  Committee  that  this  statement  is  made, 
but  simply  to  show  that  Mr.  Govan's  resignation  was  the 
stepping-stone  by  which  T^yo  entered  upon  a  still  more 
advanced  education.    As  Tiyo  had  made  great  progress  in 
his  studies,  Mr.  Govan,  with  the  consent  of  his  brethren, 
resolved  to  take  him  to  Scotland.     It  was  not  to  lionize 
the  Kafir  boy  and  make  him  an  object  of  curiosity ;  nor 
was  it  to  exhibit  him  on  platforms  at  annual  congrega- 
tional meetings,  and  make  him  repeat  Kafir  hymns,  or 
sing  them  to  audiences  tickled  by  the  unmusical  and  bar- 
barous clicks  of  the  Isixosa;  nor  was  it  to  make  himself 
stared  at,  as  he  walked  the  streets  of  large  cities  followed 
by  a  black  page.     Mr.  Govan  was  not  the  man  to  pander 
to  such  sensationalism.     He  would  not  inflate  Tiyo  with 
conceit,  or  make  use  of  him  to  open  the  purse-strings  of 
people  who  would  not  support  missions  to  the  heathen  on 
their  own  merits,  but  must  have  such  exhibitions  as  that 
of  a  living  chief  or  the  son  of  a  veritable  Kafir  councillor 
to  evoke   their  sympathies.      It  was  to   give  Tiyo   the 
advantages   of    a   Scotch    education,   and   in    the    hope 


"THE   WAR   OF   THE   AXE."  39 

that  he  would  ultimately  be  a  benefactor  to  his  country. 
It  was  a  great  venture  thus  to  test  the  capacity  of  the 
Kafir  mind. 

When  the  homeless  missionaries  in  their  hiding-place 
at  Fort  Armstrong  unanimously  resolved  that  Tiyo  should 
accompany  Mr.  Govan  to  Scotland,  the  Rev.  James  Laing 
was  deputed  to  ask  his  mother's  consent.    When  he  broke 
the  intelligence,  she  promptly  and  simply  replied,  *'  My 
son  is  the  property  of  God ;  wherever  he  goes,  God  goes 
with  him  :  he  is  the  property  of  God's  servants,  wherever 
they  lead  he  must  follow.     If  my  son  is  willing  to  go  I 
make  no  objection,  for  no  harm  can  befall  him  even  across 
the  sea ;  he  is  as  much  in  God's  keeping  there  as  near  to 
me."    That  is  self-sacrifice  of  the  noblest  stamp,  and  is  now 
published  to  the  world  for  the  first  time.     Such  was  the 
utterance  of  a  Christian  Kafir  woman,  a  refugee  moreover 
whose  husband  and  friends  were  at  that  very  time  armed 
to  the  teeth   fighting  their  country's  battles.      History 
furnishes  a  long  list  of  such  mothers,  from  Hannah  of 
Hebrew  history  downwards,  who  have  bequeathed  rich 
legacies  to  the  World  by  their  self-abnegation ;  and  now 
to  the  honoured  list  is  added  the  daughter  of  a  barbarian. 
The  world  is  all  the  better  for  such  mothers.     This  pro- 
posal seemed  an  answer  to  Nosutu's  silent  prayers  for  her 
son  as  she  kindled  the  fire  at  night,  and  sat  there  a  weird 
figure  gazing  with  motherly  fondness  at  her  boy  seated  or 
stretched  out  on  the  clay  floor  of  the  hut,  with  open  book 
in  hand.    Such  was  her  answer,  but  she  laid  the  responsi- 
bility of  the  final  reply  on  her  boy.    Ho  had  been  a  silent 
listener  to  the  conversation,  and  must  now  decide.     He 
consents  without  hesitation  or  reluctance.     What  bright 
hopes  now  fill  his  soul !     Farewell  to  war  and  bloodshed ; 
to  sneezewood  fires  and  smoky  huts !     He  is  now  to  see 


40  TIYO   SOGA. 

for  himself  that  wonderful  world  across  the  sea  where  the 
good  men  and  women  live  who  had  sent  to  his  people 
the  glorious  gospel.  As  his  fellow-travellers  had  already- 
started  in  a  bullock  waggon  from  Fort  Armstrong,  he  had 
only  time  to  exchange  a  few  words  of  farewell  with  his 
mother  and  sisters,  give  each  of  them  a  handkerchief  as 
a  token  of  remembrance,  and  gather  together  his  scanty 
articles  of  raiment,  that  he  might  overtake  those  already 
on  the  march.  Twice  he  had  been  disappointed.  He 
journeyed  from  Chumie  to  Lovedale  to  compete  for  a  free 
scholarship  and  was  rejected  ;  when  enrolled  as  a  pupil  at 
the  Institution  and  making  satisfactory  progress,  war  put 
an  end  to  his  studies  in  Lovedale.  He  now  walked  by 
the  side  of  the  waggon,  bound  for  the  seaport  town  of  Port 
Elizabeth,  and  occasionally  relieved  one  of  the  escort  by 
carrying  his  weapons  of  war.  He  had  left  his  father 
engaged  in  battle,  and  his  mother  a  solitary  refugee  at 
Fort  Armstrong,  clinging  to  her  teachers  and  her  God,  and 
his  countrymen  lay  ambushed  amongst  the  fastnesses  of 
the  Amatole  mountains,  or  occasionally  joined  in  mortal 
combat  with  the  colonists  and  British  soldiers.  His  heart 
was  full  of  youthful  enthusiasm  at  the  prospect  of  seeing 
new  countries  and  their  people.  He  had  also  the  desire 
to  learn  more  than  could  be  taught  him  amid  the  turmoil 
and  alarms  of  warfare.  As  a  settled  purpose  for  life  is 
dimly  shaping  itself  in  his  boyish  mind,  let  us  hope  that 
his  pursuit  of  knowledge  under  difficulties  is  at  an  end,  and 
that  away  from  the  storms  and  billows,  he  may  henceforth 
sail  on  smooth  seas. 

As  one  looks  at  all  the  obstacles  which  beset  his  early 
career,  and  how  he  was  carried  through  them  all,  the 
conviction  is  irresistible  that  he  has  a  mission  to  perform, 
a  destiny  to  fulfil,  and  that  these  very  difficulties  shall 


"THE  WAR   OF   THE   AXE."  41 

exert  a  salutary  influence  on  his  character,  and  teach 
him  to  vahie  his  increased  privileges.  The  wide  world 
over,  God's  great  ones  have  had  to  contend  against  many- 
adverse  influences  in  their  upward  career.  But  as  surely 
as  the  sun  battles  with  the  mists  and  clouds  on  the  eastern 
horizon  until  it  gains  the  supremacy,  so  surely  does  the 
man,  destined  to  be  the  leader  of  others,  meet  and  over- 
come obstacles  and  difiiculties  until  he  rises  to  his  own 
place  and  power,  and  receives  from  his  fellow-men  the 
homage  which  he  richly  deserves. 


CHAPTER    V. 

TIYO'S   FIRST  VISIT  TO   SCOTLAND. 

"Farewell  my  home,  my  liome  no  longer  now, 
And  thou,  fair  eminence,  upon  whose  brow 
Dwells  the  last  sunshine  of  the  evening  ray, 
Farewell !     Mine  eyes  no  longer  shall  pursue 
The  westering  sun  beyond  the  utmost  height, 
When  slowly  he  forsakes  the  fields  of  light. 
Farewell  my  home  where  many  a  day  has  past 
In  joys  whose  loved  remembrance  long  shall  last." 

At  Mr.  Govan  s  suggestion,  yet  with  the  full  approval  of 
his  brother  missionaries,  Tiyo  accompanied  his  teacher  tq 
Scotland.  Amongst  his  fellow- voyagers  were  the  two  sons 
of  the  Rev.  John  Ross,  of  Pirie,  who  are  now  actively  and 
honourably  engaged  in  mission  work  among  the  natives 
of  South  Africa,  and  the  late  W.  R.  Thomson,  M.L.A.,  on 
his  way  home  to  prepare  himself  for  the  ministry  in  the 
Dutch  Reformed  Church.  After  several  years  of  study 
at  the  Universities  in  Glasgow,  Edinburgh,  and  Holland, 
jVIr.  Thomson  turned  aside  to  a  literary  and  political  life. 
Mr.  Govan  and  his  party,  after  many  detentions  by  the 
way,  sailed  from  Port  Elizabeth  in  July,  1846.  "  Bating 
a  storm  or  two,"  says  the  Rev.  Bryce  Ross,  "  everything 
went  on  quietly  on  board,  and  a  good  deal  of  our  time 
was  passed  in  preparing  our  lessons  for  Mr.  Govan.  We 
youngsters,  born  in  Africa,  kept  closely  together.    On  board 

was  a  young  Irish  gentleman  of  the  name  of  P ,  who 

had  left  Ireland  in  a  pet  about  eleven  months  before,  and 


TIYO'S   FIRST   VISIT   TO   SCOTLAND.  43 

was  now  returning  from  Kaffraria  greatly  disappointed. 
He  narrated  many  daring  exploits,  in  which  he  invariably 
bore  a  very  prominent  part.  One  day  he  told  us  that 
Sir  Andreas  Stockenstrom's  party,  of  which  he  was  an 
important  member,  had  an  engagement  with  a  formidable 
Kafir  company,  which  they  completely  routed  and  hotly 
pursued,  and  that  in  the  flight  many  Kafirs  were  killed. 

Of  course  P knocked  over  a  good  number.     At  this 

stage  Tiyo,  who  had  intentl}?-  listened  to  the  tale  of  the 

dreadful    destruction    of  his    countrymen,   asked    P 

whether  the  victors  were  on  foot  or  on  horseback  when 

they  pursued  and   killed   the   Kafirs.      P foolishly 

replied,  '  We  were  on  foot.'     '  Then,'  said  Tiyo,  '  not  a 

Kafir  did  you  kill ! '     P immediately  shambled  oflf  as 

fast  as  his  poor  legs  could  carry  him,  and  never  again 
astonished  us  with  his  deeds  of  valour  on  the  battle-field." 

The  mission  party  reached  London  on  a  Saturday  after- 
noon. "  Early  on  the  Sabbath  morning,"  says  Richard 
Ross,  ''  Tiyo  entered  the  bedroom  occupied  by  Bryce, 
William  Thomson,  and  myself,  carrying  some  large  pieces 
of  gingerbread,  and  with  a  face  beaming  with  delight,  said 
he  had  brought  us  something  to  '  wash  out  the  sea.'  We 
asked  how  he  became  possessed  of  it,  when  he  replied  that 
he  had  got  it  from  two  young  men  living  at  the  hotel, 
who  had  purchased  it  on  the  street.  On  expressing  our 
doubt  and  amazement  at  such  trafific  on  the  Sabbath,  he ' 
promptly  replied,  '  There  is  no  such  thing  as  a  Sabbath 
day  here.'  On  the  Tuesday  Mr.  Govan  took  us  to  see  St. 
Paul's  Cathedral,  when  Tiyo  stood  for  a  considerable  time 
quite  transfixed,  and  gazing  up  earnestly  at  the  dome,  he 
exclaimed,  '  Did  man  make  this  ? ' " 

These  South  African  youths  went  to  Scotland  about  the 
beginning  of  October.     We  cannot  tell  what  Tiyo's  first 


44  TIYO   SOGA. 

impressions  were  as  scenes  wonderful  and  novel  crowded 
in  upon  his  rustic  mind.  He  was  a  keen  observer,  and 
with  his  fellow-travellers  felt  quite  at  home.  Only  once 
he  seemed  to  be  afraid,  on  being  suddenly  whirled  into 
the  darkness  of  a  railway  tunnel,  when  he  shouted:  "Into 
what  country  are  we  being  taken  now  ?  " 

Towards  the  close  of  the  year,  Mr.  Govan  was  inducted 
into  the  Free  Church  at  Inchinnan,  and  taking  his  proteg^ 
with  him,  the  late  and  lamented  John  Henderson, 
Esquire,  of  Park,  not  only  reimbursed  Mr.  Govan  all 
Tiyo's  expenses  to  Scotland,  but  also  offered  to  support 
and  educate  him.  Tij'O  was  accordingly  sent  first  to 
the  school  at  Inchinnan,  and  afterwards  to  the  Glasgow 
Free  Church  Normal  Seminar}^,  where  he  remained  until 
the  year  1848. 

Whilst  at  school  in  Glasgow  he  seems  to  have  mingled 
freely  in  the  sports  of  his  classmates.  A  severe  loss  which 
he  sustained  at  that  time  taught  him  the  lesson  that 
others,  as  well  as  his  own  countrymen,  were  afflicted  with 
kleptomania.  Some  Cape  Colonists  seem  to  think  that 
residents  at  mission  stations,  who  enjoy  so  many  precious 
privileges  and  make  a  profession  of  the  Christian  religion, 
should  be  entirely  free  from  vice  and  crime,  and  should 
manifest  a  degree  of  excellence  even  greater  than  that  of 
their  European  neighbours.  So  judged  our  inexperienced 
Kafir  3^outh  from  the  bo^tks  he  had  read  and  the  Christian 
efforts  he  had  witnessed  for  the  moral  and  spiritual  eleva- 
tion of  his  countrymen.  He  rushed  to  the  conclusion  that 
every  citizen  of  Glasgow  was  pre-eminentl}^  good,  and  free 
from  every  form  of  evil.  As  he  threw  himself  heart  and 
soul  into  the  joyous  pastimes  of  his  school-fellows,  he  one 
day  placed  his  satchel  and  all  his  school  books  on  the  door- 
step of  a  house  facing  one  of  the  public  streets  of  that  city 


TIYO'S   FIRST   VISIT   TO   SCOTLAND.  45 

whose  motto  is,  "  Let  Glasgow  flourish  by  the  preaching 
of  the  Word."  When  the  sports  were  over,  his  books 
alas !  had  disappeared. 

Whilst  a  pupil  at  the  Normal  Seminary,  the  John  Street 
United  Presbyterian  Church,  Glasgow,  with  the  full  con- 
currence of  Mr.  Henderson,  adopted  Tiyo,  with  a  view  to 
his  education  as  a  missionary.  He  then  met  for  the  first 
time  tlie  one  man  who  was  thereafter  more  than  a  father, 
the  late  Dr.  William  Anderson.  Tiyo  has  photographed 
this  important  event  of  his  life  in  a  letter  to  John  Street 
Church  on  the  occasion  of  the  jubilee  of  that  "  chivalrous 
child  of  genius,"  and  it  has  been  already  given  to  the  world 
by  George  Gilfillan  in  his  biography  of  Dr.  Anderson : — 
"It  is  now  twenty-three  years  since  I  came  into  contact  with 
the  doctor,  on  a  Sunday  evening  in  Shuttle  Street  Sunday 
School,  in  connection  with  Greyfriars  United  Presbyterian 
Church,  Glasgow.  That  evening  Dr.  Anderson  took  pos- 
session of  my  soul  and  feelings.  It  was  not  by  anything 
he  said  that  he  impressed  me  as  he  addressed  the  scholars 
of  the  Sabbath  school.  At  that  time  I  but  imperfectly 
understood  the  EnMish  languag^e.  It  was  his  exceedino^ 
fellow  feeling  towards  a  strange  boy  that  won  my 
heart." 

There  is  nothing  special  to  record  concerning  the  school 
life  of  the  Kafir  youth.  He  was  solitary  amid  the  perils 
of  a  great  city.  His  school-fellows  are  now  so  scattered, 
that  few  are  found  to  tell  how  the  sable  African  performed 
his  daily  tasks,  what  progress  he  made  in  his  studies,  and 
how  he  comported  himself  in  the  class-rooms  and  on  the 
play-ground.  Whilst  a  stranger,  he  was  not  alone,  as  the 
all-seeing  eye  of  the  Great  Unseen,  whose  dwelling  place 
is  wherever  His  creatures  are,  watched  over  Tiyo,  and 
guided  him  past  the  pitfalls  in  which  countless  rustic 


46  TIYO  SOGA. 

lads  are  mined.  He  was  shielded  from  temptation  by  a 
power  higher  than  his  own.  Though  far  removed  from 
the  halJowino-  influences  of  the  mission  where  he  found 
shelter  on  leaving  the  kraal  of  his  infancy,  and  though  a 
daily  spectator  of  iniquity  on  the  streets  of  Glasgow  which 
might  make  the  very  angels  weep,  he  was  protected  from 
vice  by  the  everlasting  Father  who  keeps  ward  and  watch 
over  the  most  helpless  of  His  children.  During  this,  his 
first  sojourn  in  Scotland,  the  seeds  of  divine  truth,  sown 
in  his  heart  in  his  own  country,  germinated,  struck  deep 
root,  and  burst  forth  and  budded.  The  promptings  of  the 
Spirit  within  him  led  him  to  make  an  open  profession  of 
the  Christian  religion,  and  publicly  to  avow  his  faith  in 
the  Living  Saviour.  As  a  stranger  in  a  strange  land,  he 
renounced  all  faith  in  the  superstitious  beliefs  of  his  fore- 
fathers, severed  the  links  which  bound  him  to  heathenism, 
and  received  the  seal  of  adoption  into  the  family  of  Christ 
by  being  publicly  baptized  by  Dr.  Anderson  in  John  Street 
Church  on  the  7th  May,  1848.  It  was  a  soul-inspiring 
scene.  Dr.  Anderson's  large  heart  was  stirred  to  its  very 
depths.  The  subject  of  his  discourse  on  that  occasion 
was  the  story  of  the  Ethiopian  eunuch,  and  one  picture 
given  that  day  is  indelible.  The  famous  preacher  prefaced 
his  sermon  by  reading  the  eighth  chapter  of  the  Acts  of 
the  Apostles,  descriptive  of  Philip's  interview  with  the 
Ethiopian.  When  he  came  to  verse  88,  and  read  the 
words,  "and  they  went  down  both  into  the  water,"  he 
suddenly  paused  and  looked  up,  his  bright  eye  flashing, 
and  as  if  answering  some  opponent  with  whom  he  was 
engaged  in  hot  but  friendly  argument,  he  shouted,  '*  I  grant 
that  they  went  ankle  deep,  but  I  grant  no  more,"  and  then 
proceeded  with  a  sort  of  satisfaction,  as  if  he  had  relieved 
himself  of  a  burden. 


TIYO'S   FIRST  VISIT  TO  SCOTLAND.  47 

In  a  far-off  country  Tiyo  felt  a  homelessness  deeper 
than  that  which  made  him  yearn  for  the  free  air  of  his 
native  hills,  and  bethought  himself  of  his  Father  and 
our  Father,  and  rose  up  and  made  the  confession,  "  I  have 
sinned ! "  His  resolve  was  genuine,  heartfelt,  true ;  he 
never  swerved  from  it,  and  was  consistent  throughout; 
and,  as  if  to  illustrate  the  parable  of  our  Saviour,  when  in 
after  years  the  ring  and  the  robe  and  the  shoes  became  his, 
and  his  also  the  banquet  and  the  Father's  smile,  there  were 
elder  brothers  not  a  few,  of  another  and  more  privileged 
race,  who  got  angry,  and  grudged  him  the  place  of  honour 
and  the  happiness  vouchsafed  to  a  Kafir.  Though  some- 
what in  anticipation  of  the  narrative,  we  now  introduce 
the  following  reminiscences  by  the  Rev.  George  Brown, 
with  whom  Tiyo  returned  to  South  Africa : — 

"  My  acquaintance  with  Tiyo,"  writes  Mr.  Brown, 
"  commenced  in  the  year  1 848.  He  was  then  a  boy 
attending  school  in  Glasgow.  The  unassuming  modesty 
of  his  disposition  was  his  prominent  characteristic.  I  am 
not  aware  of  the  reasons  why  it  was  resolved  to  send 
Tiyo  back  to  Kafirland  when  he  had  received  only  an 
elementary  education.  In  Tiyo  himself  a  feeling  of  home- 
longing  had  become  very  discernible.  He  seemed  to  think 
me  tardy  in  completing  arrangements  for  leaving  Scotland. 

"  We  left  Glasgow  by  the  express  train  to  London  on 
Tuesday,  24th  October,  1848.  A  goodly  company  on  the 
platform  of  the  Caledonian  Railway  Station  bade  us  good 
by.  Of  all,  there  is  none  more  fondly  remembered,  or  a 
more  deeply  interested  friend  in  the  Kafir  mission  than 
Dr.  Struthers,  who  with  great  warmth  gave  us  his  parting 
blessing.  As  Moderator  of  Synod,  he  had  handed  me  the 
usual  official  certification  of  my  position,  in  which  he 
describes  'Tiyo  Soga  as  a  Christian  native  youth,'  and 


48  TIYO   SOGA. 

commends  us  together  to  God  and  the  word  of  His  grace, 
and  to  the  respect  and  kind  offices  of  all  who  love  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ  everywhere.  When  we  reached  Car- 
lisle Tiyo  looked  at  me  and  said,  '  We  are  already  far  from 
home.'  The  Christian  kindness  of  friends  in  and  around 
Glasgow  had  not  failed  to  impress  his  sensitive  heart. 

"  We  were  on  board  the  barque  Jane  from  28th  October, 
1848,  to  31st  January,  1849,  on  which  day  we  landed  at 
Port  Elizabeth.  There  were  no  Donald  Curries  to  send 
Windsor  Castles  into  South  African  waters  in  those  days. 

"  On  arriving  at  the  Chumie  Station  I  began  my  work 
among  the  natives,  with  Tiyo  as  my  interpreter.  All 
competent  judges  declared  that  he  rendered  my  language 
with  wonderful  accuracy  and  force  into  the  Isixosa.  So 
long  as  Tiyo  was  with  me,  I  directed  his  education  with  a 
view  to  his  rising  to  a  position  of  great  responsibility  and 
usefulness.  In  addition  to  the  more  formal  text  book,  or 
school  education,  he  studied  very  carefully  with  me  that 
heart-searching  book,  'Edwards  on  the  Religious  Affec- 
tions.' Tiyo  had  an  outfit  of  comfortable  clothing  quite 
equal  to  my  own ;  but  ere  he  had  been  a  year  here  his 
friends  received  it  all.  The  very  last  time  that  he  rode 
out  with  me,  to  make  him  at  least  respectable,  I  had  to 
furnish  him  out  of  my  own  wardrobe.  I  have  seen  one 
of  his  brothers  ploughing  with  Tiyo's  bran  new  black  coat 
as  his  only  article  of  clothing.  It  was  the  same  with  his 
money. 

"  I  cannot  personally  speak  of  Tiyo  in  his  maturity, 
when  his  education  was  more  complete,  and  liis  character 
formed;  but  from  the  universal  respect  in  which  he  was 
held,  he  must  have  improved  his  precious  opportunities. 
For  none  other  of  his  race  had  more  been  done,  and  we  all 
rejoice  in  what  Tiyo  became  and  did." 


TIYO'S   FJRST   VISIT   TO   SCOTLAND.  49 

Tiyo's  sojourn  in  Scotland  came  to  a  close  in  the  end  of 
the  year  1848 ;  and  from  official  records  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church  we  learn  that  he  returned  to  South 
Africa  as  a  catechist,  at  a  salary  of  £25  a  year,  which  the 
John  Street  Juvenile  Missionary  Society  most  heartily 
contributed.  He  arrived  at  the  Chumie  in  February, 
1849,  to  mourn  over  the  changes  which  the  past  years  had 
wrousjht.  One  thino^,  however,  had  survived  the  devasta- 
tions  of  war  and  bloodshed,  and  that  was  the  imperishable 
gospel  preached  to  his  countrymen.  Although  the  Chumie 
church  had  been  reduced  to  ashes  during  the  war,  and  the 
missionary  he  loved  so  well  was  resting  from  his  labours,  a 
new  pastor,  the  Rev.  John  Cumming,  rallied  the  scattered 
flock,  and  was  abundant  in  labours,  with  all  the  zeal  and 
the  energy  of  a  man  in  the  fulness  of  his  strength.  For 
six  months  Tiyo  used  all  diligence  in  his  work — now  as 
an  evangelist,  then  as  a  local  catechist,  and  again  as  an 
interpreter — chiefly  around  the  Chumie,  and  occasionally 
at  Igqibigha.  He  had  ample  opportunities  of  pleading 
with  his  countrymen  to  renounce  heathenism  and  aim 
at  the  higher  life.  His  own  example  was  a  testimony 
to  the  truth  and  power  of  the  gospel.  Young  and  inex- 
perienced though  he  was,  he  was  possessed  of  a  higher 
wisdom  than  the  veteran  councillors  of  his  tribe  could 
claim.  He  was  now  not  only  a  Christian  in  name,  but 
strove  by  God's  grace  to  lead  a  Christian  life.  The  step 
he  had  taken  made  him  so  far  lose  caste  among  his 
countrymen,  and  forfeit  all  his  hereditary  rights.  But 
he  had  seen  a  way  by  which  his  countrymen,  dead  to 
purity  and  holiness,  might  rise  to  higher  things,  and 
ventured  fearlessly  to  repeat  the  one  sharp,  short,  ringing 
word  which  in  all  ages  has  preceded  any  great  spiritual 
change.     "  Repent "  was  the  message  he  delivered  to  old 


50  TIYO  SOGA. 

warriors  famous  in  battle;  to  beardless  youths,  whose 
highest  ambition  was  to  be  signalized  by  deeds  of  bravery 
in  mortal  conflict  with  British  soldiers ;  and  to  his  own 
kinsmen,  who  saw  in  him  only  a  well-clad  youth,  in 
receipt  of  a  salary  for  his  services.  ''Repent'^  was  the 
one  cry  he  uttered,  and  in  his  youthful  ardour  he  hoped 
to  elevate  his  own  Gaika  tribe.  But  the  call  to  such  a 
reformation  was  disregarded  by  the  people ;  the  gospel  of 
peace  was  to  them  a  thing  which  they  had  no  desire  to 
embrace.  Their  thoughts  were  still  brooding  in  discontent 
over  the  encroachments  made  upon  their  country;  and 
they  wished  to  regain  their  lost  pastures,  where  the  cattle 
of  the*  white  man  now  browsed  and  fattened.  Tij^o  had 
much  to  tell  them  of  the  scenes  he  had  witnessed  across 
the  sea, — of  the  greatness  of  the  English  nation,  of  the 
marvels  of  civilization,  of  the  schools  of  learning,  of  the 
vast  emporiums  of  wealth,  of  the  restless  industry,  and 
the  rapid  modes  of  travel.  But  whilst  he  eagerly  tried  to 
awaken  in  his  countrymen  a  dim  consciousness  of  their 
degradation,  and  a  desire  for  the  arts  of  civilization,  he 
seemed  to  them  as  a  mere  dreamer,  because  he  did  not  tell 
them  how  to  recover  their  pasture  lands.  The  callousness 
and  cupidity  of  his  immediate  relatives,  and  the  stolid 
indifference  of  his  tribe  were  enough  to  damp  the  enthu- 
siasm of  any  youthful  spirit ;  but  Tiyo  did  his  work  with 
such  zeal  and  conscientiousness  that  the  missionaries  spoke 
of  him  as  one  who,  if  judiciously  trained,  would  leave  his 
mark  upon  his  country.  Even  at  that  time,  in  his  youth- 
ful zeal  to  preach  the  gospel,  he  proved  himself  a  willing 
workman,  and  well  entitled  to  a  liberal  education,  so  that 
he  might  take  his  place  on  the  same  platform  with  men  of 
refinement  and  culture. 


CHAPTER    VI. 

"THE    WAR    OF    MLANJENI." — 1850. 

"r.useliooiT  U  never  so  successful  as  when  she  baits  her  hook  with  Truth." 

Whilst  Tiyo's  message  fell  powerless  on  the  listless  ears 
of  the  masses,  there  was  another  youth  of  the  same  age, 
Mlanjeni  by  name,  belonging  to  the  Ndlambe  tribe,  who 
was  fast  earning  a  reputation  for  himself,  and  who  ulti- 
mately became  so  famous  among  his  countrymen  that  his 
name  was  repeated  in  every  Kafir  hut  with  mingled  feelings 
of  fear  and  reverence.  He  professed  great  antagonism  to 
witchcraft,  and  gave  out  that  if  any  one  approached  him 
who  was  intimately  connected  with  the  occult  art,  and 
had  in  any  way  bewitched  another,  or  was  capable  of 
doiug  so,  he  had  the  power  of  not  only  proving  the  fact, 
but  of  rendering  the  sorcerer  a  helpless  cripple  for  life. 
Accordingly  two  poles  were  fixed  near  Mlanjeni's  hut,  and 
if  any  one,  charged  with  sorcery  by  his  friends,  came  to 
ask  if  he  was  a  witch,  he  was  made  to  walk  towards  these 
poles  in  the  presence  of  an  assembled  multitude.  If  inno- 
cent, nothing  occurred;  but  if  guilty,  Mlanjeni  instantly 
swooned,  lost  all  power  over  his  limbs,  and  continued  for 
some  time  in  a  trance.  The  paralysis  of  Mlanjeni  was  the 
signal  for  the  people  to  arise  and  drive  ofi*  the  witch  amid 
great  shoutings  of  "  Bolowane." 

The  Kafir  race  eagerly  grasped  the  delusion  that  the 
cause  of  disease  and  death,  which  they  uniformly  ascribe 
to  sorcery,  would  be  openly  revealed ;  that  the  secret  of 


52  TIYO   SOGA. 

immortality  in  this  world  would  be  discovered ;  and  they 
hoped  that  those  persons  who  were  destroying  their  nation, 
on  being  unmasked  by  this  wonder-worker,  would  be  easily 
disposed  of  by  being  plunged  into  the  sea,  and  that  when 
all  the  destroyers  were  destroyed,  disease  and  death  would 
disappear.  As  these  tidings  were  repeated,  each  added  to 
the  marvellous  power  of  this  impostor,  until  at  length  it 
was  published  far  and  near  that  Mlanjeni  was  a  man  of 
supernatural  power — that  he  lighted  his  pipe  from  the  sun, 
and  was  able  to  heal  the  sick,  to  give  sight  to  the  blind, 
to  make  the  dumb  speak  and  the  lame  walk. 

Here  was  one  of  their  own  people,  nearer  and  more 
wonderful  than  the  One  of  whom  Tiyo  the  missionary 
spoke,  and  therefore  there  seemed  no  call  to  place  their 
trust  in  the  unseen.  Restless  excitement  spread  among 
the  people.  Having  craftily  gained  the  willing  ear  of  his 
countrymen,  he  issued  orders  that  all  dun  and  cream- 
coloured  cattle  possessed  by  Kafirs  should  instantly  be 
killed.  The  command  was  "  Sacrifice ! "  and  the  Kafir 
race  took  this  as  a  signal  for  doing  sacrifice  to  their 
great  deliverer,  and  forthwith  throughout  the  length  and 
breadth  of  Kafirdom,  except  at  mission  stations,  the  oflTal 
and  the  bones  of  that  class  of  kine  were  burned  within 
every  heathen  kraal,  and  the  smoke  thereof  was  regarded 
as  grateful  incense  to  the  wonder-worker. 

The  plotters  of  mischief,  desirous  of  turning  Mlanjeni's 
influence  to  political  account,  declared  that  he  had  yet 
another  power,  which  would  speedily  save  his  countrymen 
from  being  British  subjects,  regain  for  his  chiefs  their  lost 
country,  fill  the  guns  and  the  cannons  of  the  white  man 
with  water,  and  make  every  one  of  his  countrymen 
invulnerable.  The  tremulous  wave  of  an  earthquake 
throughout  the  Cape  Colony,   and  the  wreck  of  several 


"THE   WAE   OF   MLANJENI."  "  53 

ships  at  Port  Elizabeth,  were  noised  abroad  as  the  sure 
signs  of  Mlanjeni's  marvellous  intercourse  with  the  spirit 
world  and  the  unlimited  range  of  his  power.  He  was  the 
man  of  the  hour,  the  deliverer  for  whom  they  had  yearned 
so  lonof ;  and  althouo^h  a  weak,  sicklv  lad,  the  wonderful 
descriptions  of  his  omnipotence  made  the  nation  look 
towards  him  as  its  saviour. 

Since  the  war  of  1846,  the  thought  of  lost  territory 
rankled  in  the  heart  of  every  Gaika ;  the  insinuation  that 
the  appointment  of  Mr.  Charles  Brownlee  as  Gaika  Com- 
missioner was  the  virtual  deposition  of  Sandilli,  who  was 
acknowledged  as  their  head  by  the  Gaikas;  the  complaint 
that  a  portion  of  land  had  been  appropriated  after  the 
last  war  to  which  the  English  had  no  right ;  the  planting 
of  four  military  villages  in  the  Chumie  basin,  near  the 
banks  of  the  river,  which  were  designed  as  a  defence  of 
the  frontier,  on  a  tract  of  land  which  they  maintained 
had  been  taken  by  spoliation  from  them ;  the  frequent 
impounding  of  their  cattle  for  crossing  the  Chumie  river, — 
all  these  were  latent  causes  tending  towards  another  out- 
break. Accordingly  Sandilli  in  disguise  betook  himself 
to  the  village  of  this  youth,  not  only  to  consult  the  oracle, 
but  to  render  sacrifice  to  him  and  to  yield  him  willing 
homage  as  the  destined  restorer  of  his  chieftainship  and 
country.  So  secretly  and  stealthily  did  the  influence  of 
this  impostor  grow,  that  it  had  assumed  serious  dimen- 
sions ere  the  Government  oJ0&cials  were  aware  of  the  mis- 
chief at  work.  Mlanjeni  now  openly  avowed  himself  an 
Itola,  viz.,  able  to  charm  the  warriors,  and  make  them 
invulnerable  on  the  field  of  battle.  He  therefore  ordered 
every  man  who  desired  strength  of  limb  and  success  in 
war  to  offer  sacrifice.  He  distributed  twigs  from  the 
plumbago  plant,  to  be  worn  round  the  neck,  and  gave 


54  TIYO   SOGA. 

each  warrior  a  small  stick  to  carry  bound  up  with  his 
assegays,  which,  in  the  event  of  a  war,  he  was  instructed 
to  point  towards  the  enemy  and  invoke  the  name  of 
Mlanjeni,  when  the  white  men  would  flee  in  terror,  and 
be  drowned  in  the  sea. 

It  was  in  1849,  whilst  these  iniquitous  machinations  of 
Mlanjeni  were  secretly  becoming  the  rallying  cry  of  the 
dismembered  Gaikas,  that  the  Rev.  Robert  Niven*  pro- 
ceeded to  establish  a  new  mission  station  at  the  confluence 
of  the  Keiskama  and  Gxulu  rivers,  in  the  very  centre  of 
the  far-famed  Amatole,  which  had  been  the  Kafir  strong- 
hold in  all  former  wars.  Mr.  Niven  had  Tiyo  associated 
with  him  in  the  double  capacity  of  schoolmaster  and 
evangelist.  Tiyo  had  the  very  rawest  material  to  deal 
with,  as  he  was  now  among  a  people  who  had  never  had 
a  missionary,  and  knew  nothing  of,  and,  if  possible,  cared 
less  for  education.  Although  a  successful  commencement 
•  was  made,  strong  opposition  was  manifested.  His  school 
of  seventy  scholars  was  speedily  much  diminished, 
because  he  had  not  undergone  the  rite  of  circumcision. 
The  parents  affirmed  that  their  children  would  die  on 
receiving  instruction  from  "a  boy,"  who  had  not  the 
courage  to  make  himself  a  man !  So  hostile  were  some 
parents,  that  they  even  threatened  to  put  him  to  death 
because  he  opposed  the  hereditary  custom  of  their  race. 
Alas,  poor  Tiyo  !  How  galling  to  think  that  one  who,  by 
malicious  schemes,  was  hastening  the  ruin  of  his  people, 
should  receive  the  reverence  of  Kafirdom,  whilst  he  who 
laboured  and  prayed  for  their  elevation  was  so  unheeded 
and  even  despised.  It  is  not  wonderful  that,  amid  his 
many  and  seemingly  fruitless  labours  among  his  people, 

*  Mr.  Niven  acted  under  the  sanction  of  liis  Excellency,  Sir  Harry  Smith, 
fi.M.  High  Commissioner,  and  also  of  the  Church's  Foreign  Mission  Board. 


''THE   WAR   OF   MLANJENI."  55 

Tiyo  should  have  struck  his  lyre  and  composed  those 
sacred  songs  which  shall  continue  to  be  sung  as  long  as 
there  are  Kafir  Christians  to  celebrate  in  the  sanctuary, 
or  in  the  home,  the  victories  of  the  cross  of  Christ. 

On  discovering  that  his  tribe  was  under  the  deceiver's 
spell,  Sandilli  waited  an  opportunity  for  an  open  rupture. 
Several  cases  of  resistance  to  the  police  in  Tyali's  tribe 
had  just  occurred,  which  the  Gaika  Commissioner  regarded 
as  of  great  siojnificance.  To  avoid  a  forcible  collision,  he 
simply  referred  the  cases  to  the  Governor,  and  told  the 
police  to  abstain  from  violence  in  exacting  the  fines 
imposed.  The  resistance  indicated  dangerous  designs  in 
connection  with  what  they  knew  Sandilli  and  Mlanjeni 
were  doing.  His  Excellency  Sir  Harry  Smith  came  up 
to  Fort  Cox,  and  held  a  meeting  with  the  Gaika  chiefs 
and  people.  The  Governor  publicly  stated  that  he  would 
punish  the  guilty  and  protect  the  innocent.  He  afiirmed 
his  disbelief  of  any  design  on  the  part  of  Kafirs  generally 
to  revolt,  and  his  determination  to  maintain  peace.  Then 
he  suddenly  burst  forth  into  one  of  his  most  demonstrative 
utterances  to  impress  the  Kafirs  with  awe,  which  was 
one  of  the  distinguishing  features  of  his  character.  He 
openly  denounced  Sandilli  as  absent  from  the  meeting 
because  of  his  intrigues  with  Mlanjeni,  and  oflfered  a 
reward  for  Sandilli's  apprehension,  at  the  same  time 
assuring  his  audience  that  he  would  not  allow  a  "red 
jacket "  to  hunt  the  chief. 

Four  days  thereafter,  on  Tuesday,  the  24th  December, 
1850,  GOO  British  troops  under  ColoDel  M'Kinnon,  Chief 
Commissioner  and  Commandant  of  Kaii'raria,  were  marched 
from  Fort  Cox,  under  his  Excellency's  orders,  past  the  kraal 
of  the  paramount  chief  of  the  Gaikas,  and  up  through  the 
tangled  forest  in  which  he  had  been  lurking.     On  passing 


oQ  TIYO   SOGA. 

through  the  gorge  of  the  Keiskama,  near  the  Boma  pass, 
where  there  is  a  dense  wood  on  either  side,  the  chief's 
body-guard  attacked  the  colonel's  rear,  killed  nine  of  the 
infantry  and  Dr.  Stewart,  the  military  surgeon,  and  became 
possessors  of  four  baggage  horses  laden  with  3000  rounds. 
At  three  o'clock  p.m.  of  that  day  the  troops  encamped 
near  Uniondale,  the  mission  station  of  the  Rev.  Robert 
Niven.  Colonel  M'Kinnon  informed  Mr.  Niven  of  the 
attack,  and  suggested  the  immediate  necessity  of  securing 
the  safety  of  himself  and  family.  The  colonel  expressed 
his  surprise  at  the  attack,  declared  that  the  movement  of 
the  troops  was  a  mere  demonstration,  and  that  he  so  little 
dreaded  hostile  shots  that  the  muskets  of  the  infantry 
were  not  even  loaded. 

Christmas  day  dawned — that  one  day  in  all  the  year  on 
which  the  merry  bells  of  Yule  ring  welcome  to  the  night 
on  which  was  first  announced,  amid  the  jubilant  songs  of 
the  seraphic  host,  the  gospel  of  salvation  to  all  mankind 
in  the  words,  "Peace  and  goodwill;  goodwill  and  peace  to 
all  mankind."  That  mission  family,  and  many  a  Cape 
Colonist  besides,  have  that  day  associated  with  the  saddest 
recollections  and  the  most  merciless  acts  of  cruelty.  As 
Mr.  Niven  was  in  the  act  of  removing  his  wife  and  young 
family  to  the  Chumie,  they  were  robbed  on  the  journey  of 
all  their  horses  and  of  some  of  their  garments  by  the  in- 
surgent Kafirs.  Faint,  and  filled  with  anxiety,  the  mission 
group  trudged  along  on  foot  a  distance  of  twenty-five  miles 
under  a  broiling  sun  towards  their  place  of  safety.  Mr.  Niven 
purposed  returning  on  the  folio  wingday,ashehad  left  behind 
him  all  his  property;  but  that  was  impossible,  in  the  face  of 
scenes  witnessed  by  the  way,  and  tidings  which  followed  him, 
andalsofrom  the  severe  shock  given  to  Mrs.Niven's  nervous 
system  which  had  been  greatly  enfeebled  by  recent  illness. 


"THE   WAR   OF   MLANJENI."  57 

Whilst  Mr.  Niven  and  his  emperilled  family  were 
hasting  for  protection  to  the  Chumie,  a  most  sanguinary 
assault  was  made  upon  one  of  the  military  villages  near 
the  Chumie.  The  settlers  at  Auckland,  with  their  families, 
were  about  to  enter  on  the  festivities  so  common  in  their 
fatherland  at  Christmas,  when  a  number  of  Kafirs  armed 
with  assegays  appeared,  professedly  to  hear  the  news  and 
share  in  their  festivities.  Whilst  partaking  of  the  hospi- 
tality of  the  veteran  soldiers,  the  armed  Kafirs  sprang 
upon  their  entertainers,  and  several  men  were  cruelly 
murdered.  Three  Europeans  rushed  into  an  unfinished 
house  in  the  hope  of  keeping  the  enemy  at  bay;  but  after 
a  noble  defence  they  were  heartlessly  stabbed  to  death 
amid  the  cries  and  intercessions  of  their  wives.  The  newly 
made  widows  and  their  fatherless  children,  at  the  instance 
of  the  enemy,  were  escorted  by  a  Kafir  named  Madolo  (now 
an  humble  Christian)  to  within  sight  of  the  Chumie,  and 
were  left  there  to  tell,  amid  broken  utterances  and  bitter 
sobs,  the  tale  of  their  sorrows  to  the  sympathizing  mission 
families,  who  showed  them  no  small  kindness.  The  other 
military  settlements  were  also  attacked  on  the  same  or  the 
following  day.  Hermanus,  a  noted  warrior  living  near  Fort 
Beaufort,  soon  found  himself  at  the  head  of  900  warriors, 
composed  of  Hottentots  and  other  rebels,  and  his  force  was 
speedily  increased  by  deserters  from  the  Hottentot  regiment 
of  Cape  Mounted  Rifles.  The  tocsin  of  war  sounded  far  and 
near.  The  years  1850  and  1851,  so  full  of  battles  and 
bloodshed  over  the  eastern  frontier  of  the  Cape  Colony, 
have  always  been  spoken  of  by  the  Kafirs  as  "  The  War 
of  Mlanjeni." 

On  that  memorable  Christmas  day  the  chief  Anta,  with 
a  horde  of  excited  Kafirs,  added  yet  another  drop  to  the 
overflowing  cup  of  sorrow.     After  pillaging  the  house  at 


58  TIYO   SOGA. 

Uniondale,  they  set  fire  to  the  whole  buildings,  and  to  the 
church,  which  had  been  built  mainly  by  the  contributions  of 
Christian  friends  in  Scotland.  The  only  outward  memorial 
that  survived  the  conflagration  is  a  fragment  of  the  church 
gable  on  the  way-side — a  silent  and  sorrowful  memento  of 
the  heartless  sacrilege.  Tiyo  followed  in  the  track  of  his 
missionary  after  nightfall.  As  he  threaded  his  way  in 
the  darkness  through  the  Amatole  bush,  he  had  a  narrow 
escape  for  his  life.  Some  Kafirs  in  ambush  had  heard  the 
sound  of  his  footsteps.  After  a  hot  chase,  he  outran  his 
pursuers,  and  found  a  place  of  safety  for  the  night;  and  as 
the  day  dawned  he  proceeded  on  his  journey  to  the 
Chumie.  Whilst  the  war  was  raging,  and  during  his 
stay  at  the  Chumie,  many  messengers  were  sent  to 
Tiyo  by  the  chief  Makoma,  with  letters  taken  from  white 
men  who  had  been  killed,  requesting  him  to  translate 
their  political  tidings ;  but  all  these  letters  Tiyo  returned, 
with  a  declaration  that,  whilst  he  respected  the  chief,  he 
would  not  mix  himself  up  in  a  contest  which  carried 
death  to  his  fellow- creatures.  To  avoid  any  further  annoy- 
ance, Tiyo  placed  himself  beyond  the  reach  of  the  messen- 
gers, and  went  to  Philipton,  on  the  Kat  river,  whither  the 
missionaries  and  their  families  had  gone,  under  escort,  for 
greater  safety. 

There  may  now  be  introduced  reminiscences  by  Miss 
Ogilvie — a  member  of  Mr.  Niven's  family,  and  niece  of 
his  devoted  wife — the  agent  of  the  Glasgow  Ladies' 
KafFrarian  Society — a  lady  who  has  laboured  with  singular 
devotion  at  the  Umgwali  United  Presbyterian  Mission 
Station  for  the  social  and  spiritual  elevation  of  her  own 
sex: — 

"Looking  back  on  the  brief  existence  of  Uniondale, 
it  seems  to  have  had  a  beginning  and  an  end,  and  little 


"THE   WAR   OF   MLANJENI."  59 

between.  Tiyo  joined  the  mission  at  the  end  of  1849, 
six  months  after  our  arrival  at  the  Gxulu,  and  commenced 
his  work  as  a  teacher,  with  the  rude  material  of  a  school 
only  six  months  in  existence,  and  amongst  a  people  to 
whom  mission  work  was  quite  new.  School  work  was 
varied  by  occasional  itineracy  amongst  the  heathen  popu- 
lation, either  alone  or  in  company  with  the  missionary. 
At  this  time  he  made  his  first  contributions  to  the  "  service 
of  song "  in  his  native  tongue.  The  Kafir  Hymn  Book 
compiled  in  1850  contains  some  from  his  pen.  During 
his  residence  at  TJniondale,  Tiyo  had  a  house  for  himself 
and  his  sister  Tause,  whose  courage  and  presence  of  mind 
afterwards  saved  the  life  of  the  missionary,  who  a  few 
months  previously  had  baptized  her.  Mr.  Tiyo  was  a 
frequent  guest  at  the  mission  house ;  and  from  his  quiet 
intelligence  and  unaffected  simplicity  of  manner,  was 
always  welcome.  He  heartily  entered  into  any  scheme 
for  the  amusement  of  the  young.  His  first  appearance 
as  a  public  speaker  was  on  the  occasion  of  some  festive 
gathering,  probably  the  only  new  year  or  anniversary  at 
TJniondale.  He  rose  to  more  than  usual  animation,  and 
the  impression  made  on  my  mind  by  the  gracefulness  and 
fluency  of  his  address  was  subsequently  recalled  by  the 
remark  of  one  of  his  Professors  in  Glaso^ow :  '  Mr.  Soera  has 
all  the  elements  of  an  orator.' 

"  At  Uniondale  Mr.  Soga  experienced  something  of  the 
bitterness  of  those  Kafir  prejudices  about  which  he  after- 
wards wrote.  Stronor  feelinoc  was  excited  ao'ainst  him  on 
account  of  his  not  having  conformed  to  the  heathen  rite 
of  initiating  manhood.  His  life  was  endangered,  and  the 
missionary  deemed  it  advisable  to  consult  his  father  on 
the  matter.  The  old  man  had  perhaps  private  reasons  for 
believing  that  the  threat  of  murder  meant  nothing,  and 


60  TIYO   SOGA. 

quietly  remarked,  '  If  they  do  kill  him,  he  will  still  have 
eternal  life.'  To  purchase  safety  by  a  compromise  of  his 
Christian  profession  did  not  seem  possible  to  the  heathen 
father.  How  sad  to  think  that  he  is  a  heathen  still !  I 
did  not  then  know  Tiyo's  worthy  mother  as  I  have  since 
learned  to  know  and  love  her.  I  believe  that  her  son  was 
no  exception  to  the  remark  that  the  most  distinguished 
servants  of  the  Christian  Church  have  been  indebted,  more 
or  less,  to  the  influence  of  pious  mothers. 

"  For  a  month  or  two  before  the  war  there  was  a  good 
deal  of  excitement  and  restlessness  at  the  station.  The 
residents  on  the  station  were  not  free  from  molestation. 
Thefts  were  frequent.  One  night,  whilst  Tiyo  was  absent, 
his  house  was  entered,  and  the  covering  taken  from  the 
bed  on  which  his  sister  was  asleep.  The  thieves  were 
traced,  and  restitution  was  made  through  the  influence  of 
Yika,  the  petty  chief  of  the  district.  So  loath  were  the 
station  people  to  believe  that  war  was  impending,  that  the 
24th  December,  the  day  on  which  it  broke  out,  found  them 
at  their  posts. 

"  In  the  morning  all  were  at  their  usual  duties  :  in  the 
eveninor  arrano-ements  were  made  for  fliorht.  Blood  had 
been  shed;  and  the  countr}^,  in  native  parlance,  '  ivas  dead! 
Ere  another  sunset,  the  promising  station  was  a  mass  of 
smoking  ruins,  never  to  be  rebuilt.  On  the  morning  of  the 
25th  the  mission  family  left  the  station,  and  the  missionary 
had  hoped  to  return  after  placing  his  family  with  friends 
nearer  the  colony.  Tiyo  and  Busak,  the  native  elder,  were 
left  in  charge  of  the  station.  What  befell  the  travellers 
by  the  way  has  already  been  written.  The  last  thing  I 
remember  seeing  at  the  station  was  a  young  married 
woman,  who  had  been  the  first  native  inquirer,  being 
driven  off  with  a  sjambok  by  her  heathen  husband.     It 


"THE   WAR   OF   MLANJENI."  61 

was  bard  to  see  it,  but  it  turned  out  to  be  for  good. 
During  the  forenoon,  this  woman  hearing  that  an  attack 
on  the  station  was  arranged  for  that  day,  contrived  to 
escape  from  her  brutal  husband,  and  to  warn  the  station 
people  of  their  danger.  They  had  only  time  to  secure 
a  few  articles  of  their  own  and  the  missionary's,  and 
carry  them  to  Yika's  kraal,  ere  Anta  and  his  men  came 
down  and  demolished  the  station.  Tiyo  Soga  and  two 
boarders  at  the  mission  house  left  that  night,  and 
next  morning  brought  the  tidings  of  the  disaster  to  the 
Chumie.  Mr.  Soga  did  not  say  much  of  his  adventures ; 
but  one  of  his  fellow-travellers  reported  the  destruction 
of  the  family  Bible,  which  some  young  men  ripped  up 
with  their  assegays,  saying,  "There's  the  thing  Niven 
always  troubles  us  with  ! ' 

"  The  station  people,  after  remaining  a  few  days  at 
Vika's  kraal,  came  to  the  Chumie,  travelling  by  night,  as 
Mr.  Soga  had  done.  Poor  old  Busak  lost  his  all,  about 
twenty  head  of  cattle,  and  without  a  murmur.  Along 
with  his  wife  and  six  children,  he  united  with  us  in 
thanksgiving  to  God  for  spared  lives.  A  year  afterwards 
he  was  found  dead  from  an  assegay  wound,  reported  to 
have  been  received  while  trying  to  protect  his  master's 
cattle  from  a  foraging  party  of  the  insurgents." 

Tiyo  Soga  had  lived  in  troublous  times.  During  the 
war  of  1835 — "the  war  of  Hintsa" — and  wdien  a  mere 
child,  he  endured  the  unspeakable  miseries  of  war.  When 
taken  for  shelter  to  the  Amatole  bush,  he  suffered  from 
cold,  and  rain,  and  hunger,  nestling  under  an  overhanging 
rock,  or  tree  whose  branches  touched  the  ground,  and  was 
lulled  to  sleep  on  the  arms  of  his  mother  or  sister  by  his 
own  bitter  cries  for  food.  Then  followed  "  The  War  of  the 
Axe"  in  1846,  which  suddenly  interrupted  his  education  ai 


62  TIYO   SOGA. 

Lovedale.  In  1850  he  had  to  flee  for  his  life,  and  leave 
a  sphere  which  promised  great  usefulness.  Are  his  steps 
to  be  ever  dogged  by  some  evil  spirit  because  he  has 
renounced  heathenism  and  embraced  a  strange  religion  ? 
Is  it  because  he  has  espoused  the  new  religion  which  is 
quietly  undermining  the  customs  of  his  ancestors  ?  The 
chequered  life  hitherto  led  was  enough  to  make  a  youth 
descended  from  such  a  superstitious  race  pause  and  ask : 
"  Am  I  in  the  right  path  ?  Is  there  any  truth  in  this 
Christian  religion  ?  Is  there  any  peace  in  the  profession  of 
it?  Is  not  Mlanjeni  witli^the  army  revered  and  honoured 
by  every  Gaika  as  he  braces  the  warriors  for  battle  with 
his  magic  arts,  and  makes  them  fearless  on  meetinoj  the 
foe  ?  And  why  should  not  I,  the  son  of  Soga,  the  Gaika 
councillor,  who  can  boast,  of  an  honourable  pedigree  of 
worthy  councillors,  cast  in  my  lot  with  my  countrymen, 
and  have  all  success  on  my  return  to  a  heathen  life,  with 
all  its  superstitions  and  falsehoods  ?  "  But  Tiyo  was  not 
the  man  to  waver  on  such  matters.  He  would  not  go 
back.     He  must  move  onwards,  for  he  felt 

' '  How  dull  it  is  to  pause,  to  make  an  end; 
To  rust  unburnished,  not  to  shine  in  use  ! 
As  though  to  breathe  were  life. " 

Dark  and  inscrutable  as  the  future  seemed,  he  would  not 
prove  faithless  to  his  conscience  and  his  God.  Advance 
he  must,  as  he  felt  that  he  was  on  the  right  way.  As  we 
look  back  upon  these  thwarting  influences,  the  conclusion 
is  irresistible,  that  had  "  The  War  of  the  Axe  "  not  raged, 
Tiyo  would  never  have  crossed  the  seas,  nor  been  equipped 
for  his  varied  duties  at  Uniondale.  If  Mlanjeni  with  his 
delusive  charms  and  dark  falsehoods  had  not  fascinated 
the  Gaikas,  Tiyo  would  not  have  risen  to  that  sphere  of 
higher  usefulness  which  made  him  the  honoured  preacher 


"THE   WAR   OF   MLANJENI."  63 

and  the  representative  man  of  his  race.  The  apparent 
obstacles  were  but  the  stepping-stones  by  which  he  reached 
to  a  higher  sphere.  These  wars,  which  drove  missionaries 
from  their  stations,  and  compelled  some  of  them  to  visit 
or  finally  return  to  their  fatherland,  opened  up  the  way 
for  a  barbarian's  son  to  receive  an  education,  and  rise  to  a 
position  of  great  usefulness. 


CHAPTER    VII. 

TIYO   SOGA'S   second   VISIT   TO   SCOTLAND. 

"In  these  rigid  feelings  of  caste  distinction  the  Egyptian  princess  was 
brought  up.  The  voice  of  Society  said,  It  is  but  a  Hebrew,  The  mightier 
voice  of  Nature — no,  of  God — spake  within  her,  and  said,  It  is  a  human  being, 
bone  of  your  bone,  and  sharing  the  same  life." 

"The  War  of  Mlanjeni"  dealt  a  disastrous  blow  to  the 
missions  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  in  Kafirland. 
Its  missionaries,  though  few  in  number,  had  hitherto 
laboured  with  much  success  among  the  Gaikas,  and  had 
gained  great  influence  over  the  chiefs  and  people.  When 
'the  war  broke  out,  they  were  blamed  for  aiding  and 
abetting  the  Kafirs  in  their  hostilities  against  the  Colony. 
Pained  by  these  suspicions,  they  prudently  left  the  converts 
at  the  Chumie,  and  went  to  Philipton,  on  their  way  to 
the  frontier.  The  Christian  converts  were  also  meditating 
removal  to  a  place  of  safety  in  the  Colony,  when  Sandilli 
announced  that  if  any  of  them  left  the  old-established 
station  they  would  be  treated  as  enemies,  and  be  murdered 
without  mercy.  They  resolved,  therefore,  to  remain  and 
be  neutral.  The  male  converts  betook  themselves  to  the 
cave  in  the  Chumie  mountain,  and  the  women  and  children 
remained  at  the  station,  encouraged  by  the  sympathy 
and  counsel  of  the  widow  of  the  Rev.  William  Chalmers. 
Stealthily  on  Sundays  the  men  descended  to  the  church 
to  worship  God  with  their  families,  and  amid  sobs  and 
tears,  offered  up  their  prayers  to  God  for  the  restoration 
of  peace.     Whilst  suffering  from   hunger,  and  from  the 


TIYO'S   SECOND   VISIT   TO   SCOTLAND.  65 

still  deeper  misery  of  suspense,  a  messenger  summoned 
them  one  day  to  meet  Colonel  Somerset  on  the  spot  where 
the  village  of  Soga  once  stood,  and  to  deliver  up  their  arms. 
When  the  colonel  reported  the  reception  of  the  native 
Christians  to  the  Governor,  he  returned  a  message  to  the 
effect  that  he  wished  the  submission  of  the  chiefs,  and  had 
nothing  whatever  to  say  to  the  converts.  After  waiting 
many  days  at  the  military  camp,  and  wondering  how  they 
would  be  disposed  of,  seeing  they  had  given  up  their  only 
weapons  of  defence,  they  were  ordered  to  march  across 
the  Chumie  river.  As  soon  as  they  crossed  the  river  they 
were  told  to  prepare  for  death,  when  they  remonstrated 
against  such  treatment  in  the  absence  of  the  colonel.  The 
Fingoes  spoiled  them  of  most  of  their  clothing,  and  chased 
the  unarmed  men  and  defenceless  women  and  children 
under  a  volley  of  stones  and  other  missiles,  but  none 
of  them  were  seriously  injured.  After  anxious  consulta- 
tion, it  was  resolved  that  two  women  should  instantly 
proceed  to  Fort  Cox,  and  report  their  helpless  condition 
to  the  Gaika  Commissioner,  Mr.  Charles  Brownlee.  Mr. 
Brownlee  advised  them  to  proceed  to  King  William's  Town, 
and  place  themselves  under  the  care  of  his  venerable  father. 
Dukwana,  one  of  the  elders,  returned  to  the  Chumie  to 
report  the  tidings  of  their  dispersion  to  the  widow  of  the 
missionary  with  whom  he  had  been  so  long  associated  in 
Christ's  blessed  work.  The  others  set  out  on  their  perilous 
journey  to  King  William's  Town;  and  on  that  memorable 
day  the  doom  of  the  Chumie  was  sealed,  as  it  then  ceased 
to  be  a  mission  station. 

"  When  the  missionaries  were  on  the  eve  of  leaving 
Philipton,"  says  Miss  Ogilvie,  "a  messenger  met  them 
with  the  tidings  that  Glen  thorn,  the  hospitable  home  of 
Mr.  John   Pringle,  which  had   been   spared  during  the 


66  TIYO   SOGA. 

former  war,  and  had  been  a  refuge  to  both  missionaries 
and  converts,  was  burned  by  rebel  Hottentots,  and  the 
family  were  obliged  to  seek  refuge  elsewhere.     It  was 
added  that  the  road  was  unsafe  to  travel,  so  there  was  no 
choice  but  to  return  to  Philipton,  where  Mr.  Soga  soon 
joined  the  missionaries.    It  became  evident  that  the  shock 
which  Mrs.  Niven  had  sustained  on  that  terrible  Christmas 
day  was  such  that  a  voyage  to  Europe  was  indispensable. 
One  of  the  many  perplexities  of  Mr.  Niven  was  how  to 
dispose  of  Mr.  Soga.    He  could  not  be  left  behind  without 
the  dan^rer  of  losinsf  what  he  had  p'ained.     There  seemed 
no  opening  for  him  in  the  colony.      The  proposal  was 
entertained  that  he  should  return  to  Scotland  and  study 
for  the  ministry.     His  own  and  his  father's  consent  was 
obtained.     To  the  inquiry,  '  Where  are  the  means  to  come 
from  ? '  the  answer  was,  '  From  the  Bank  of  Providence.' 
Through  what  channel  they  came  I  cannot  say ;  but  they 
did  come.     I  think  that  an  old  and  tried  friend  of  the 
mission,  C.  L.  Stretch,  Esq.,  had  a  hand  in  the  transaction. 
At  the  end  of  three  months  from  the  outbreak  of  the  war 
the  mission-party  set  out  for  Glenavon,  in  Somerset  East, 
the  residence  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stretch  and  their  venerable 
father,  Mr.  Robert  Hart,  the  old  and  special  friend  of  the 
missionary. 

Mr.  Stretch  supplies  the  link  in  the  story  as  follows : — 
"The  missionaries  who  fled  to  Philipton  in  1850  made 
their  escape  to  Grahamston  while  Mr.  Niven  with  his 
afflicted  wife  and  a  few  native  Christians  came  to  Glen- 
avon, where  they  knew  of  a  home.  Young  Tiyo  Soga  was 
of  the  number.  I  heard  accidentally  of  their  approach, 
and  mounting  my  horse,  travelled  until  I  met  the  party 
outspanned  at  the  Fish  River.  It  was  a  melancholy 
meeting.     The  partner  of  Mr.  Niven's  trials  and  dangers 


TIYO'S   SECOND   VISIT   TO   SCOTLAND.  67 

was  greatly  afflicted;  the  children,  shocked  by  the  scenes  of 
brutality  which  they  had  witnessed,  gathered  round  their 
parents  on  the  grass;  and  greatly  distressed  were  the 
native  Christian  converts,  who  looked  the  very  picture  of 
sorrow.  You  need  not  wonder  that  I  wept  to  find  a 
man,  amidst  all  the  sorrow  he  had  endured  for  months 
from  insult,  danger,  and  loss  of  all  his  possessions,  thinking 
only  or  chiefly  of  his  partner.  He  was  '  alone,  and  yet  not 
alone,'  with  his  bo3^s. 

"  I  got  the  waggon  inspanned  and  brought  the  party  to 

Glenavon.     To  make  the  painful  story  short,  I  did  what 

I  could  to  make  them  feel  that  they  were  amongst  friends. 

Young  Tiyo  took  up  his  abode  in  the  cottage  of  Minto 

Gaxa,  a  Fingoe  boy  I  took  under  my  charge  at  Fort  Cox  in 

1885,  when  he  was  four  years  of  age.    He  was  with  me  at 

Blockdrift,  and  was  the  schoolfellow  of  Tiyo  at  Lovedale, 

where  they  learned  to  love  each  other.     He  was  then 

twelve  years  old,  and  often  did  he  bring  Tiyo  down  at 

that  time  to  the  Residency  to  share  the  pastry  that  fell 

to  his  lot.    You  may  fancy  what  joy  they  exhibited  when 

they  met,  although  under  such  painful  circumstances.     I 

used  to  ask  them  how  they  got  on  at  the  cottage,  and 

I   recollect   that   one   day  Tiyo's   reply   was,  '  We   sing 

the  137th  Psalm  ! '    I  reflect  with  joy  to  think  that  a  few 

pounds  at  that  time  given  for  the  purpose  you  allude  to, 

and  which  I  never  thought  would  be  known  on  earth,  were 

not  put  into  a  napkin,  or  saved  to  gratif}^  selfish  desires.' 

Mr.  Niven  and  family,  after  a  time,  left  their  hospitable 

retreat — taking  Tiyo  along  with  them — and  sailed  from 

Port  Elizabeth,  in  June,  1851,  in  the  brig  George  Lord, 

which  reached  London  after  a  pleasant  passage  of  75  days. 

Mr.  Niven  mentions  a  circumstance,  worthy  of  special 

notice,  that  before  sailing  from  Algoa  Ba}^,  the  situation 


68  '  TIYO   SOGA. 

of  Government  interpreter,  at  a  good  salary,  was  offered 
to  Tiyo,  which  he  declined  that  he  might  devote  himself 
to  the  work  to  which  he  felt  he  was  called — that  of 
preaching  Christ  to  his  kinsmen  according  to  the  flesh. 
Penniless  Kafir  though  he  was,  he  replied  as  follows  to  the 
friend  through  whom  the  ofier  came  :  "  Allow  me  to  have 
the  benefit  of  your  offer  to  take  me  on  to  Scotland.  I  had 
rather  beg  my  bread  from  door  to  door  in  your  streets  to 
gather  up  what  will  pay  my  fees  at  College,  and  thereafter 
attend  the  Theological  Hall  in  order  to  learn  better  how 
to  preach  Christ  as  my  known  Saviour  to  my  heathen 
countrymen  who  know  Him  not!' 

Tiyo's  father,  although  possessed  of  cattle,  contributed 
nothing  to  the  support  or  education  of  his  son.  What 
cared  he  for  education  ?  Why  waste  his  substance  on  a 
son  who  had  virtually  disowned  his  father  by  embracing 
the  Christian  religion  ?  Why  part  with  cattle  to  humour 
a  foolish  lad  who  would  have  his  own  way  in  seeking 
for  a  thinof,  without  which  his  ancestors  had  managed  to 
live  happily  ?  Missionaries  might  do  as  they  pleased 
with  the  renegade,  who  had  relieved  the  old  father  of 
all  responsibility  when  he  severed  himself  for  ever  from 
the  parental  kraal.  In  his  struggles  as  the  son  of  a 
barbarian,  he  was  indebted  for  the  development  of  his 
mental  faculties  to  the  liberality  of  Christians  of 
another  nation. 

When  Tiyo  reached  London  he  found  the  British  nation 
at  peace,  and  j  ubilant  over  "  a  thing  called  Crystal  Palace." 
On  the  streets  of  the  metropolis  were  men  of  many  nations, 
who  had  come  to  do  homage  to  Industry  under  the  dome  of 
the  great  temple.  The  truly  wonderful  sight  could  never 
be  effaced  from  Tiyo's  memory.  What  a  contrast  to  the 
chapter  in  the  history  of  his  native  land,  which  was  then 


TIYO'S  SECOND  VISIT  TO  SCOTLAND.  69 

being  written  in  blood.  A  few  months  ago  he  had  wit- 
nessed acts  of  demolition;  now  he  saw  what  a  nation 
could  be  and  do  when  glorying  in  its  manhood.  If 
his  countrymen  had  only  ceased  from  superstition,  and 
given  themselves  up  to  the  arts  of  peace,  they,  too,  might 
have  contributed  their  share  to  the  marvels  of  civilization 
in  that  great  palace  of  art.  As  he  mingled  with  the  surging 
crowd  of  sight-seers,  he  felt  strong  in  hope,  and  resolved 
humbly  to  remain  a  learner,  that  he  might  aid  in  realizing 

the  poet's  dream — 

**  When  all  men's  good 
Shall  be  each  man's  rule,  and  universal  Peace 
Lie  like  a  shaft  of  light  across  the  land; 
And  like  a  lane  of  beams  athwart  the  sea, 
Through  all  the  circle  of  the  golden  year." 

As  already  stated,  John  Street  Church  formed  an 
attachment  for  Tiyo  Soga  during  his  first  visit  to  Scot- 
land, which  now  took  a  practical  form  by  contributing  to 
his  support.  The  way  that  the  Kafir  youth  was  brought 
into  relationship  with  this  congregation  is  briefly  told  by 
K.  A.  Bogue,  Esq.,  of  Glasgow — a  gentleman  who  from  the 
first  felt  a  deep  interest  in  Tiyo,  and  that  interest  gathered 
strength  as  he  saw  more  of  the  inner  life  of  his  young 
friend : — "  Earl}^  in  the  winter  of  1847,"  writes  Mr.  Bogue, 
"  the  Rev.  Mr.  Govan  called  upon  me.  In  the  course  of 
conversation,  he  said  that  the  Foreign  Committee  of  the 
Free  Church  proposed  to  give  up  Lovedale  Seminary, 
and  he  felt  in  a  difficulty  because  he  did  not  know  what 
to  do  with  a  Kafir  youth  named  Tiyo  Soga,  whom  he  had 
brought  to  Scotland.  He  had  therefore  called  upon  me, 
as  Treasurer  of  the  Glasgow  Missionary  Society,  to  see  if 
we  could  give  any  assistance.  I  replied  that  our  Society 
might  not  do  anything;  but  if  the  lad's  character  was  satis- 
factory, perhaps  the  Church  I  was  connected  with  would 


70  TIYO   SOGA. 

take  him  by  the  hand,  and  give  liim  education  to  become 
a  teacher.  It  was  accordingly  arranged  to  introduce  the 
Kafir  youth  on  that  very  evening.  In  conversation  it 
came  out  that  he  was  unbaptized,  but  greatly  desired  to 
receive  that  ordinance.  Shortly  afterwards  I  introduced 
him  to  Dr.  Anderson,  and  in  due  time  he  was  baptized 
publicly  in  presence  of  the  John  Street  Congregation,  after 
he  had  given  a  short  confession  of  his  faith  in  Jesus  Christ." 
That  event  was  duly  chronicled  in  the  minutes  of  Session, 
in  the  following  terms :  "  After  a  full  narration  of  the 
case  of  Tiyo  Soga,  an  African  youth,  the  Session  agreed 
that  he  be  baptized  on  the  afternoon  of  the  first  Sabbath 
in  May  (7th,  1848),  and  that  Mr.  Thomson  and  Mr.  Morton 
accompany  him."  The  Juvenile  Missionary  Society  of  the 
Church  agreed  to  pay  for  Mr.  Soga's  education,  and  after- 
wards to  pay  his  salary  as  a  teacher  when  he  went  back 
to  South  Africa.  When  Mr.  Soga  returned  with  Mr.  Niven 
in  1851,  the  Congregation,  through  the  Session,  met  his 
charges  home,  and  paid  all  his  college  and  hall  expenses 
up  to  his  ordination ;  and  never  v/as  satisfaction  more 
complete  than  the  Session  had  in  the  recollection  of  what 
they  had  done  for  Mr.  Soga. 

On  his  return  to  Scotland,  therefore,  in  1851,  Tiyo  was 
coming  back  to  a  circle  of  friends  who  had  not  abated 
their  interest  in  his  welfare,  and  would  gladly  continue 
their  support.  Accordingly  we  find  the  following  minutes 
among  the  Session  records  of  John  Street  Church : — 

"  ^Ist  October,  1851. — Appeared  Tiyo  Soga  aloDg  with 
the  Rev.  Mr.  Niven.  Mr.  Niven  gave  an  account  of  Mr. 
Soga's  character  and  diligence  in  his  work  as  a  teacher 
during  his  late  mission  to  Kaffi'aria  in  that  character. 
He  spoke  of  him  in  very  high  terms  of  commendation. 
He  then  stated  the  reasons   which  had  moved  him  to 


TIYO'S   SECOND   VISIT   TO   SCOTLAND.  71 

bring  Tiyo  to  Scotland.  The  Session  unanimously  agreed 
that,  as  the  Sabbath  School  undertook  the  expense  of 
Mr.  Soga's  board,  &c.,  they  would  defray  the  charges  of 
his  education  at  College  and  the  Divinity  Hall,  that  in 
due  time  he  might  return  to  Kaffraria  as  an  ordained 
missionary. 

''18th  December,  18S1.  — The  Moderator  (Rev.  Dr. 
Anderson),  Mr.  Bogue,  and  Mr.  Paterson  were  appointed 
to  superintend  Mr.  Soga's  conduct  and  progress  in  his 
studies,  and  to  counsel  him  in  all  things  they  may  regard 
necessary  for  his  present  peculiar  circumstances." 

There  were  many  corrective  influences  by  which  this 
solitary  Kafir  student  was  preserved  from  perilous  paths. 
There  was  the  thought  of  his  countrymen  perishing  and 
calling  loudly  by  their  degradation  for  one  to  elevate 
them.  There  were  those  who  had  taken  the  deepest 
interest  in  his  progress,  and  who  would  be  cruelly  dis- 
appointed if  their  efforts  on  his  behalf  proved  abortive. 
The  "committee"  and  ''sub-committee"  for  his  superin- 
tendence formed  a  sort  of  vigilance  committee,  invested 
with  very  full  powers.  There  were  the  young  men 
of  high  moral  tone  with  whom  he  associated,  as  one 
destined  for  the  Church.  There  was  the  one  man. 
Dr.  Anderson,  who,  by  his  example  and  words,  interested 
himself  in  his  African  charge,  and  who  frequently  brought 
him  face  to  face  with  his  Sunday  scholars  at  their  annual 
festive  gatherings.  Then  there  was  his  own  resolve  of 
many  years'  standing,  "  To  strive,  to  seek,  to  find,  and  not 
to  yield."  Keeping  ever  before  hiiu  his  high  purpose, 
enjoying  so  many  precious  privileges,  and  conscious  of 
powers  wanting  only  a  fitting  sphere  for  their  exercise — 
surely  by  such  a  one,  "  ere  the  end,  some  work  of  noble 
note  may  yet  be  done." 


72  TIYO   SOGA. 

In  November  of  the  year  that  Tiyo  Soga  returned  to 
Scotland  he  was  matriculated  as  a  student  in  the  Glasgow 
University,  and  entered  the  Latin  Class,  which  was  then 
taught  by  the  active,  quick,  restless-eyed  classic,  and 
strict  disciplinarian,  Professor  William  Earn  say.  He  also 
attended  the  Junior  Greek  Class,  then  taught  by  the 
distino^uished  Professor  Lushingrton, 

*'  Wearing  his  wisdom  lightly,  like  the  fruit 
Which  in  our  winter  M^oodland  looks  a  flower. " 

Tiyo  Soga  did  not  distinguish  himself  at  college  as  a 
prizeman.  He  found  it  very  hard  work  to  prepare  each 
day's  tasks,  and  ofttimes  felt  that  he  could  barely  keep 
pace  with  the  progress  made  in  the  classes.  Diligent 
he  was ;  but  he  was  not  distinguished.  Had  he  been  a 
prizeman,  such  a  victory  would  have  bordered  upon  the 
marvellous,  as  the  young  men  with  whom  he  studied 
were  fresh  from  high-class  academies,  where  they  had 
been  drilled  from  their  earliest  years  in  the  rudiments  of 
knowledge,  and  many  of  them  entered  the  University  for 
the  sake  of  fresh  laurels.  Tiyo's  first  impressions  were 
those  of  heathenism,  and  his  pursuit  of  knowledge  had 
been  repeatedly  interrupted  by  the  ravages  of  war.  AU 
that  can  be  said  of  him  is,  that  he  was  eager  to  learn, 
persevering  and  painstaking,  and  that  his  exhibitions  in 
the  College  class-rooms  were  exceedingly  creditable. 

What  a  passport  to  promotion  are  college  honours  with 
some  men !  How  idolized  are  often  those  who  wear  the 
perishable  chaplet  of  prizes,  won  in  very  many  cases  by 
tutors  and  cramming !  Tiyo  Soga  is  not  to  be  despised, 
nor  is  his  college  course  to  be  pronounced  a  failure,  because 
his  name  does  not  rank  on  the  list  of  prizemen  who  gained 
honours  in  the  ancient  University  of  Glasgow.     The  mere 


TIYO'S   SECOND   VISIT   TO   SCOTLAND.  73 

presence  of  Tiyo,  humble,  modest,  earnest,  and  pious, 
passing  out  and  in  under  the  low-arched  gate  of  the  old 
College,  was  felt  bj?-  not  a  few  of  his  compeers  as  a  power 
and  an  influence.  One  of  his  fellow-students,  the  Rev. 
Robert  Johnston,  of  the  Presbyterian  Church  of  Port 
Elizabeth,  graphically  describes  his  introduction  to  Tiyo 
within  this  academic  grove  as  follows  : — 

"  It  was  shortly  after  his  enrolment  as  a  student  at  the 
University  that  I  made  the  acquaintance  of  Mr.  Soga  in 
the  inner  quadrangle  of  Glasgow  College,  on  a  raw,  cold 
winter's  morning  of  1852.     There,  a  fellow-student,  who 
has  ever   since  manifested   the  deepest  interest   in  Mr. 
Soga,  laid  his  hand  upon  my  shoulder  and  asked  me  to 
follow  him,  as  he  had  a  special  introduction  to  give  me. 
I  followed  him  through  the  heavy  looking  archwa}^  and 
in  the  inner  quadrangle  we  came  upon  a  little  group  of 
which  Mr.  Soga  and  Mr.  William  Chalmers,  now  Magis- 
trate and  Civil  Commissioner  of  Cradock,  Cape  of  Good 
Hope,  formed  the  centre.     An  opening  was  made  in  the 
circle,  and  I  stood  face  to  face  with  our  Kafir  student, 
looked  on  the  large,  dark,  expressive  eyes,  received  the 
somewhat  timid,  hesitating  smile,  and  grasped  the  hand 
of  him  who  was  my  friend  and  fellow-labourer  in  after 
years.     That  memorable  meeting  I  believe  had  much  to 
do  with  my  after  life.     Then  I  did  not  know  its  influence 
and  its  power ;  but  it  gave  a  different  water-shed  to  the 
stream  of  my  life.      I  was  only  thinking  of  the  sunny 
slopes  of  home  ministerial  work  and  life ;  but  then  and 
there  this  Kafir  youth  laid  the  hand  upon  me  which  has 
not  left  me,  and  never  shall.     In  a  few  years  I  found  that 
all  my  desires  and  thoughts  with  regard  to  ministerial 
work  were,  stream-like,  flowing  towards  life  and  work  in 
the  foreign  field,  and  in  Soutti  Africa  itself." 


74  TIYO   SOGA. 

In  Tiyo's  note  books,  which  contain  pencil  jottings  of  the 
prelections  of  his  professors,  there  is  nothing  to  give  an 
insight  into  his  student  life,  its  tendencies  and  its  favourite 
pursuits.  We  learn,  however,  that  his  leisure  hours  were 
devoted  to  that  vast  field  of  literature  which  was  opened 
up  to  him  in  the  College  Library.  He  read  the  works  of 
Washington  Irving,  Prescott,  Macaulay,  Foster,  Vinet, 
and  Mosheim.  In  poetry,  he  appears  only  to  have  read 
Longfellow ;  whilst  copious  extracts  from  Bos  well's  *'  Life 
of  Johnson,"  show  that  he  was  specially  fascinated  with 
that  biographer,  who  has  painted  with  a  large  brush  the 
portrait  of  his  hero.  "  The  Evidences  of  Christianity,"  by 
Paley,  he  very  carefully  perused.  As  he  advanced,  he  set 
himself  to  study  English  history,  which  he  did  to  some 
purpose,  as  those  who  knew  him  best  can  testify. 

The  Kafir  student  was  quite  fascinated  with  the  work 
of  Con3'beare  and  Howson.  It  poured  a  flood  of  light 
on  a  portion  of  the  one  great  Book  whose  principles  he 
desired  to  teach  to  his  countrymen.  Tiyo  did  not  haste 
through  a  book,  to  boast  of  the  number  of  volumes  he  had 
read.  He  had  an  object  in  reading,  and  gathered  instruc- 
tion as  he  proceeded,  and  freely  expressed  himself  when 
he  differed  from  the  author's  views.  During  his  college 
days  he  made  copious  extracts  of  passages  which  were 
striking,  or  which  contained  some  fresh  truth  that  he 
wished  to  rivet  on  his  memory  or  to  recall  when  he  had 
some  purpose  to  serve.  After  copying  a  gloomy  passage 
from  Foster's  letters,  he  makes  the  following  reflection: — 

"  December  17th,  1854,  Sabbath  evening. — Though  life 
is  sweet,  were  it  a  matter  of  choice,  I  would  much  prefer 
to  die  now  than  twent}^  or  thirty  years  after  this,  and  die 
then  an  unforgiven  sinner !  May  I  be  deeply  impressed 
with  such  awful  thoughts  as  these." 


TIYO'S   SECOND   VISIT   TO   SCOTLAND.  75 

On  the  same  page  he  adds:  "December  20th,  1854. — 
What  assures  me  that  I  shall  see  next  year  ?  I  hope  I 
shall.  Well,  but  hope  is  not  certainty;  and  though  it 
often  realizes  its  object,  it  is  as  often  disappointed.  My 
life  hangs  but  by  the  feeblest  and  most  attenuated  thread 
which  the  gentlest  breath  may  sever.  The  insignificant 
fly  may  alight  upon  it  and  break  it." 

The  same  note-books,  amid  many  illegible  pencillings, 
record  that  he  was  a  Sunday  school  teacher  in  a  destitute 
district  of  the  city.  Much  of  his  time  was  also  devoted  to 
city  mission  work.  In  this  department  of  Christian  effort 
he  gained  much  knowledge  of  human  nature,  was  shown 
many  kindnesses,  but  at  times  suffered  for  his  colour.  On 
visitiuo^  a  miserable  Irish  hovel,  the  Hibernian,  indionant 
that  a  "  blackie "  should  venture  to  cross  his  threshold 
on  such  an  errand,  made  him  beat  a  hasty  retreat  down 
the  rickety  staircase,  amid  a  volley  of  oaths  which  charac- 
terized his  colour  as  havins^  some  connection  with  the 
lower  regions — a  kind  of  reception  which  none  of  his  own 
countrymen  would  give  to  a  messenger  of  peace.  We  find, 
also,  that  he  was  a  member  of  the  Young  Men's  Mutual 
Improvement  Society  in  John  Street  Church;  and  the 
only  records  of  his  w^ork  in  that  particular  school  are  two 
essays.  These  productions  discover  a  strong  desire  for 
self-improvement,  and  contain  many  apposite  illustrations 
and  much  mature  thinking  for  his  years. 

"The  Pilgrim's  Progress"  was  Tiyo's  constant  companion 
during  his  academic  career.  Though  several  years  elapsed 
ere  his  countrymen  were  thrilled  by  that  story  in  their 
own  tongue,  Soga  was  silently  and  busily  preparing 
himself  for  that  greatest  of  all  his  works. 


CHAPTER    VIII. 

TIYO   SOGA's  student  LIFE  CONTINUED. 

"The  princess  of  Egypt  escaped  from  the  trammels  of  narrowness  and 
stood  upon  the  rock  of  the  Eternal.  She  breathed  the  spirit  of  that  kingdom 
in  which  there  is  '  neither  Jew  nor  Gentile,  barbarian,  Scythian,  bond  nor 
free.'  She  breathed  the  atmosphere  of  Him  who  'came  not  to  be  ministered 
unto  but  to  minister.'  She  was  animated  by  His  Spirit  who  came  to  raise  the 
abject.  She  felt  as  He  felt,  when  she  recognized  that  the  very  degradation 
of  the  child  was  a  claim  ujjon  her  royal  comijassion." 

The  Theological  Hail  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church 
at  that  time  met  in  Edinburgh  during  the  autumn,  when 
the  grand  old  city  was  enlivened  by  English  tourists, 
as  they  went  to  and  came  from  the  moors  and  glens  of 
•  the  Scottish  Highlands.  United  Presbyterian  students 
attended  for  four  sessions  at  one  of  the  Universities,  and 
after  examination  and  approval  by  the  Presbytery  in  the 
bounds,  they  were  admitted  to  the  Divinity  Hall.  Tiyo 
Soga  was  allowed,  after  examination,  to  enter  the  Hall  in 
1852,  after  his  first  session  at  college.  The  professorial 
chairs  were  then  tilled  by  men  of  mark  who  took  a  deep 
interest  in  their  pupils.  There  was  old  Dr.  John  Brown, 
with  snow-white  locks  falling  lightly  on  his  shoulders, 
with  a  beautiful  face  irradiated  by  a  heavenly  brightness. 
There  was  Dr.  John  Eadie,  massive  physically  and  intel- 
lectually, who  charmed  the  students  with  his  eloquence 
and  varied  learning,  and  brought  himself  nearest  to  his 
pupils.  There  was  Dr.  M'Michael,  on  whose  features 
shade  and  sunshine  alternately  played.     There  was  Dr. 


TIYO'S   STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  77 

Harper,  somewhat  hard  and  stern,  but  most  logical.  There 
was  Dr.  Lindsay,  the  exegete,  examining  every  word  of 
the  Epistle  to  the  Hebrews,  keen,  accurate,  and  minute 
in  his  researches.  At  the  feet  of  these  men  of  consecrated 
scholarship  the  Kafir  student  sat  for  five  sessions  to  receive 
his  theological  training.  Tiyo  Soga's  physical  strength 
was  somewhat  overstrained  by  the  arrangement  made  for 
the  prosecution  of  his  studies.  In  addition  to  the  Arts 
Classes  at  the  University  in  winter  and  the  Hall  in 
Edinburgh  in  autumn,  he  appeared  along  with  his  fellow- 
students  before  the  Presbytery  of  Glasgow,  each  second 
month,  for  examination  on  theological  studies  and  for 
preaching  sermons.  It  was  not  hot  haste  to  force  him 
through  college  and  hall,  despite  his  early  disadvantages, 
that  his  supporters  might  soon  get  rid  of  the  burden — 
but  his  own  ambition  was,  at  the  earliest  possible  date,  to 
help  to  resuscitate  the  Kafir  mission,  even  although  his 
University  and  Theological  studies  should  be  restricted 
to  five  years.  The  following  certificate  to  John  Street 
Church  at  the  close  of  his  first  theological  session  by  the 
distinguished  biblical  critic,  the  Hev.  Professor  Eadie,  is 
proof  that  the  Kafir  student  had  won  the  respect  and 
approbation  of  his  instructors  : — 

"  Glasgow,  28th  September,  1852. 

"  I  have  great  pleasure  in  certifying  that  Tiyo  Soga  was 
a  most  punctual  and  diligent  student  during  last  session 
in  the  class  of  Biblical  Literature.  All  his  appearances 
were  very  creditable  indeed.  Knowing  how  limited  was 
his  more  immediate  preparation  for  the  study  of  the 
original  languages  of  Scripture,  I  was  greatly  sur])rised 
at  his  proficiency.  Some  friends  wished  him  to  attend 
the  Senior  Class,  as  he  was  thought  scarcely  qualified  for 


78  TIYO   SOGA. 

fche  scholastic  exercises  of  the  Junior  Hall ;  but  his  own 

desire  was  to  begin  at  the  beginning,  and  that  desire  must 

have  stimulated  him  to  great  and  persevering  diligence. 

I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  give  him  such  a  certificate  of 

mark  and  attendance.     I  hope  he  will  distinguish  himself 

by  renewed  and  continued  application  to  his  important 

studies. 

''John  Eadie." 

There  was  no  desire  whatever  to  make  Tiyo  Soga  a 
preacher  of  the  gospel  if  he  had  neither  talent  nor  piety. 
He  had   consecrated   himself  to   the   sacred  work,   and 
needed  only  careful  training  to  develop  his  latent  and 
great  energies.     "  He  was  a  zealous,  persevering,  and  suc- 
cessful student,"  says  the  Rev.  Robert  Johnston.     "  He 
made  conscience  of  his  student- work.    Invitations  to  pass 
the  evenings  with  friends,  or  to  speak  at  Sabbath  school 
soirees,  were  constantly  pouring  in  upon  him ;  but  to  a 
very  large  extent  he  declined  them.     Tiyo  Soga  was  a 
true  student,  as  he  was  a  true  man.     There  is  proof  of 
this  in  the  honourable  place  which  he  took  among  his 
fellow-students  in  all  departments  of  study,  and   even 
more  in  the  ability  which  he  manifested  in  all  his  pulpit 
appearances  at  home,  in  the  colony,  and  in  Kafirland. 
The  freshness,  strength,  and  beauty  alike  surprised  and 
delighted  all,  and  proved  that  he  was  the  earnest  student 
still,  and  that  the  cry  of  his  spirit  ever  was  '  More  light ! 
more  light ! '  " 

By  his  fellow-students  he  was  universally  esteemed 
and  beloved.  His  more  immediate  associates  were  men 
of  talent,  superior  attainments,  and  high  moral  worth; 
and  most  of  them  now  occupy  prominent  positions  in  the 
Church.  "From  the  time  that  we  entered  upon  our 
theolocrical    studies   in   Edinburgh,"  says   Mr.   Johnston, 


TIYO'S   STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  79 

"we  saw  more  and  more  of  each  other.  We  sat  at  the 
feet  of  the  same  revered  teachers;  we  had  the  same  text 
books ;  we  had  the  same  knotty  points  on  which  to  try 
our  intellectual  strength  ;  his  special  student  friends  were 
mine." 

A  great  stimulus  to  exertion  was  given  to  Tij^o  Soga 
both  by  his  professors  and  his  fellow-students.  He  was 
dignified  to  a  degree.  He  never  demeaned  himself  by  act 
or  word,  so  as  to  expose  himself  to  rudeness  or  contempt. 
His  compeers  recognized  his  sterling  worth,  and  each 
claimed  him  as  his  intimate  friend.  Many  thus  treated 
would  have  become  vain ;  but  humility  was  his  crowning 
grace  from  first  to  last. 

"  I  believe,"  says  the  Rev.  Henry  Miller,  of  Hammer- 
smith, London,  "  Tiyo  and  I,  as  John  Street  lads,  were 
more  intimate  than  any  other  students.  We  made 
many  excursions  together,  delivered  addresses,  discussed 
abyssmal  things,  read  the  Greek  Testament,  and  prayed 
together.  Tiyo  and  I  had  a  grand  trip  to  Campbelton  in 
connection  with  the  Students'  Missionary  Society  in  the 
summer  of  1855.  At  Campbelton  we  were  received  like 
apostles.  The  Provost  entertained  us  as  if  at  a  public 
banquet.  The  ministers  of  the  town,  the  medical  men, 
and  other  leading  people  were  present.  Soga  had  the  seat 
of  honour  in  the  dining-room.  God's  grace  had  made  my 
African  brother  a  Christian,  a  scholar,  and  a  gentleman, 
whom  the  best  men  in  the  community  were  proud  to 
honour.  We  had  a  ereat  meeting  in  the  church  on  the 
Sabbath  evening.  These  visits  had  doubtless  a  formative 
influence  on  Tiyo's  mind.  One  thing  I  always  perceived; 
they  never  'put  him  about.'  He  was  never  bashful  or 
awkward,  but  had  the  natural  ease  and  manners  of  a 
born  Sfentleman." 


80  TITO   SOGA. 

From  Edinburgh,  23rd  September,  1856,  Tiyo  writes 
to  Mr.  Bogue : — "Our  testimonials  were  presented 
yesterday  before  all  the  students  and  professors.  It  was 
a  day  of  intense  excitement,  and  Mr.  Johnston  and  myself 
feel  thankful  that  it  is  over.  Each  of  the  professors, 
after  the  addresses  were  presented,  made  remarks  full  of 
encouragement  and  sympathy.  I  expect  to  be  in  Glasgow 
next  Monday,  when  you  will  have  a  sight  of  the  address 
and  the  thirty-eight  volumes  presented  along  with  it." 

The  letter  refers  to  one  of  the  most  interesting  inci- 
dents in  the  annals  of  student  life  at  the  Theological  Hall 
of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  For  five  sessions  the 
Kafir  student's  presence  at  that  Seminary  had  not  only 
excited  curiosity  and  speculation  about  his  future,  but 
had  also  argued  powerfully  for  mission  work  in  South 
Africa.  Such  was  the  unconscious  missionary  infiuence 
exerted  over  his  classmates,  that  one  of  the  ablest  and 
most  accomplished  of  their  number,  Robert  Johnston, 
resolved  to  accompany  him  as  a  fellow-worker  to  the 
wilds  of  Kafirland,  and  others  looked  towards  mission 
work  in  other  lands.  The  missionary  enthusiasm  showed 
itself  in  the  resolution  to  present  Tiyo  Soga  and  Robert 
Johnston,  on  completing  their  theological  sessions,  with 
an  address  and  several  valuable  works  of  Christian  litera- 
ture. The  afternoon  of  the  22nd  of  September,  1856,  was 
fixed  for  the  ceremony.  The  venerable  and  venerated 
professors,  with  well  nigh  two  hundred  students,  met  in 
the  Senior  Hall  Class-room.  A  solemnity  bordering  upon 
sadness  pervaded  the  assembly.  The  pent-up  enthusiasm 
burst  into  a  hearty  cheer  as  the  Chairman  of  the  Students' 
Missionary  Society,  now  the  Rev.  W.  Hutton,  of  Mofiat, 
rose  and  read  the  two  addresses  to  the  two  missionary 
youths.     That  day  shall  long  be  remembered.     Even  now 


TIYO'S   STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  81 

it  stands  out  out  "  like  a  sun-edged  cloud  long  after  the 
sun  has  set." 

The  following  address  was  presented  to  Tiyo  Soga,  along 
with  thirty-eight  valuable  theological  volumes : — 

"To  Mr.  Tiyo  Soga. 

"  Beloved  Brother  in  Christ, — The  present  is  to  us 
an  occasion  of  singular  interest.  It  is  an  unprecedented 
circumstance  in  the  history  of  our  Hall,  that  one  of  the 
sable  sons  of  Africa  should  be  completing  his  course  of 
theology  in  connection  with  it.  And  now  that  having 
passed  through  the  ordinary  curriculum,  you  are  about 
to  return  to  your  native  country  as  a  commissioned 
ambassador  of  Christ,  we  cannot  allow  you  to  depart 
without  giving  you  this  written  testimony  (together  with 
one  of  a  more  substantial  kind)  to  the  esteem  and  affection 
with  which  we  regard  you,  the  deep  interest  we  feel  in 
your  temporal  and  spiritual  prosperity,  and  the  earnest 
desires  we  cherish  for  your  success  in  the  great  work  to 
which  you  have  consecrated  your  life.  Independently  of 
all  considerations  as  to  your  origin  and  early  training,  we 
have  reason  to  respect  you  for  what  you  are — standing 
on  the  same  level  as  ourselves.  You  have  taken  your 
place  among  us,  and  have  maintained  an  honourable 
position  in  the  various  departments  of  study  in  which 
you  have  been  called  to  engage.  When  we  consider  the 
comparative  disadvantages  (3f  your  early  years,  and  the 
difficulties  to  be  encountered  in  mastering  a  language 
so  utterly  dissimilar  in  its  genius  and  forms  to  your 
native  tongue,  we  cannot  but  highly  appreciate  the 
extent  of  your  acquirements  and  the  accuracy  of  thought 
and  expression  manifest  in  your  compositions.  Those 
of    us    who    have    known    you    most    intimately    hav 


82  TIYO   SOGA. 

marked  in  your  calmness  of  judgment,  simplicity  and 
frankness  of  disposition,  humility  of  deportment,  warmth 
of  affection,  and  that  strength  of  Christian  principle 
which,  we  are  persuaded,  will  enable  you  to  act  a  con- 
sistent and  exemplary  part  in  the  important  position  you 
are  about  to  fill, 

"  You  are  now  about  to  depart  to  the  land  which,  with 
all  its  spiritual  darkness,  you  still  love  to  think  of  as  your 
home, — around  which  cluster  the  manifold  associations  of 
your  early  years,  and  whose  scenery  is  indelibly  engraven 
on  your  heart.  We  trust  you  go  forth  filled  with  love 
to  Him  who  'hath  called  you  out  of  darkness  into  his 
marvellous  light,'  burning  with  zeal  for  the  advancement 
of  His  cause,  and  cherishing  fervent  and  unquenchable 
desires  for  the  salvation  of  your  fellow-countrymen.  The 
remembrance  of  the  way  by  which  you  have  been  led 
cannot  fail  to  stir  up  within  you  fervent  gratitude  to  Him 
who  hath  so  magnified  towards  you  the  riches  of  His 
grace.  You  will  doubtless  have  serious  diflSculties  to 
encounter.  Your  first  work  will  be  to  'build  the  old 
wastes  and  raise  up  the  former  desolations;'  but  let 
your  difliculties  and  perplexities  only  be  the  means  of 
quickening  your  faith,  and  of  bringing  you  with  the 
more  frequency  and  earnestness  to  the  footstool  of  God's 
throne.  It  is  impossible  that  Scotland  can  ever  be  erased 
from  your  recollection;  that  you  can  forget  its  scenes 
and  society,  and  the  Christian  privileges  which  you  have 
enjoyed.  You  cannot  forget  that  you  leave  behind  you 
not  a  few  with  whom  you  have  enjoyed  much  delightful 
intercourse,  with  whom  you  have  been  wont  to  take  sweet 
counsel,  and  walk  '  unto  the  house  of  God  in  company.' 
Let  it  be  our  mutual  consolation,  that  if  interested  in  the 
love  of  Christ,  we  are  still  indissolubly  united  together,  and 


TIYO'S   STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  83 

have  a  common  meeting-place  at  the  throne  of  heavenly 
grace. 

'^  And  now,  beloved  and  honoured  Brother, — We  must 
bid  you  and  your  dear  coadjutor  who  goes  forth  with  you 
in  this  noble  enterprise,  a  solemn  '  Farewell ! '  May  He 
who  has  guided  you  hitherto  be  with  you  still,  making 
*  darkness  light  before  you,  and  crooked  things  straight.' 
As  you  traverse  the  waters  of  the  mighty  deep,  may  you 
realize  the  presence  and  protecting  care  of  Him  who  holds 
the  '  winds  in  his  fist '  and  the  '  waters  in  the  hollow  of 
his  hand.'  When  you  reach  your  native  land,  may  you 
have  your  dwelling  in  the  '  secret  place  of  the  Most  High,' 
and  ever  '  abide  under  the  shadow  of  the  Almighty.'  May 
an  abundant  blessing  attend  all  the  labour  of  your  hands; 
so  that  through  your  instrumentality  multitudes  of  your 
countrymen  who  are  yet  without  God,  without  Christ, 
and  without  hope,  may  be  elevated  to  the  possession  of 
knowledge  and  purity  and  heavenly  joy.  And  after  an 
honourable  and  successful  career,  may  you  '  come  to  your 
grave  in  a  full  age,  like  as  a  shock  of  corn  cometh  in  his 
season,'  and  be  numbered  among  the  most  distinguished 
of  those  who,  having  been  'wise,  shall  shine  as  the  brio^ht- 
ness  of  the  firmament,'  and  having  '  turned  many  to 
righteousness,  shall  shine  as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever  ! ' 

"  United  Presbyterian  Theological  Hall, 
Edinburgh,  22nd  September,  1856." 

To  this  address,  which  was  signed  by  186  students, 
Tiyo  Soga  made  a  brief  but  appropriate  reply.  The  reply, 
written  in  pencil,  is  found  in  one  of  his  note  books; 
and  it  is  a  singular  circumstance  that  it  immediately 
follows  his  notes  of  a  lecture  by  Dr.  John  Brown  on 
the  text  Romans  ix.  3,  a  subject  which  Tiyo  Soga  often 


84  TIYO   SOGA. 

afterwards  took  as  a  theme  of  discourse  in  addressing 
his  countrymen.  Whether  or  not  the  venerable  professor, 
who  was  the  closing  lecturer  on  that  interesting  day, 
had  in  view  the  coming  event,  it  is  impossible  to  say. 
The  following  is 

TiYO  Soga's  Reply. 

''Mr.  Hutton  and  Dear  Fellow-Students, — I  feel 
that  it  is  no  affectation  in  me  to  say  that  this  season  will 
ever  be  a  memorable  one  in  my  history.  Throughout  the 
whole  course  of  my  study  in  Scotland,  and  especially  in 
this  Hall,  I  have  experienced  a  very  large  measure  of 
kindness  and  sympathy;  but  the  present  scene  seems  to 
be  the  crowning  act  of  the  whole.  I  am  sure  that  the 
recollection  of  that  kindness  and  sympath}^  would  have 
been  sufficient  of  itself  to  have  made  me  ever  grateful  to 
that  God,  whose  providence  cast  my  lot  in  Scotland  and 
amongst  you.  By  the  transactions  of  this  day,  however, 
you  have  deepened  the  gratitude  which  I  already  owe  to 
God,  to  this  land,  and  to  the  members  of  this  Hall. 

"  I  am  aware  that,  to  contend  successfully  against  the 
difficulties  of  that  work  to  which  I  have  devoted  myself, 
motives  higher  than  any  with  which  our  fellow-men  may 
furnish  us  are  necessary;  yet  there  is  much  even  in  human 
sympathy  to  revive  the  heart.  I  go  home,  then,  to  Kaf- 
fraria  much  cheered  by  your  best  wishes,  your  affectionate 
remembrances,  and  your  prayers ;  and  above  all  am  I 
gladdened  with  the  thought,  that  I  carry  away  from 
this  Hall,  in  the  person  of  my  excellent  brother  and 
companion,  Mr.  Johnston,  a  gift  which  Kaffraria  herself 
will  hail  and  welcome  with  joy.  For  the  valuable  present 
before  me  I  thank  you  sincerely,  and  for  this  j^et  more 
touching  expression  of  your  sympathy  and  encouragement 


TIYO'S   STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  85 

which  I  hold  in  my  hand  I  would  especially  thank  you. 
Both  will  remain  lasting  memorials  of  you.  Scotland,  as 
you,  sir,  have  said,  I  can  never  forget.  I  shall  ever  look 
back  to  her  as  my  second  home.  This  Hall  I  can  never 
forget,  nor  our  venerable  teachers,  at  whose  feet  we  all,  I 
am  sure,  so  willingly  and  so  profitably  have  sat. 

''  And  now,  dear  brethren  in  Christ,  Farewell.  May  the 
'God  of  peace  sanctify'  each  of  us  'wholl}'-;'  and  may  our 
'  whole  spirit,  and  soul,  and  body  be  preserved  blameless 
unto  the  coming  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ.'  '  Brethren, 
pray  for  us,'  as  we  shall  pray  for  you.  '  Let  us  not  be 
weary  in  well  doing,  for  in  due  season  we  shall  reap  if 
we  faint  not.' " 

Amid  the  plaudits  and  the  well- wishes  of  his  fellow- 
students,  Tiyo  Soga  closed  his  academic  career.  He  had 
not  been  brilliant,  but  he  had  been  true;  he  had  not 
been  a  leader,  but  he  had  been  loving ;  he  had  gained  no 
laurels,  but  had  won  the  priceless  affection  of  those  who 
sat  on  the  same  benches  with  him ;  he  had  assumed  no 
airs  of  superiority,  but  he  had  been  conspicuous  for  his 
humility  and  teachableness.  Good  wishes  and  expressions 
of  sympathy  and  brotherly  kindness  were  freely  bestowed 
upon  him  to  an  extent  rarely  surpassed. 

"  I  certainly  had  exceptional  means  of  understanding 
and  estimatinor  our  friend's  character  duriDo^  his  student 
life,"  writes  the  Rev.  T.  Campbell  Finlayson,  of  Manchester. 
"  His  was  a  sincerely  devout  and  pious  soul.  From  all 
flippant  and  irreverent  dealing  with  things  sacred  he 
instinctively  shrank.  And  yet  his  piety  was  free  from 
cant,  ostentation,  and  asceticism.  He  entered  with  the 
utmost  heartiness  into  innocent  recreation.  He  had  a 
keen  sense  of  humour ;  and  it  was  delightful  to  hear  his 


86  TIYO   SOGA. 

merry  laugh  and  to  see  the  twinkle  of  his  eyes  in  the 
midst  of  social  enjoyment.  He  was  a  frank  and  genial 
companion.  So  sunny  often  was  his  smile,  that  one 
scarcely  saw  his  dark  complexion.  He  made  us  feel 
that  distinctions  of  colour  and  race  were  as  nothing  in 
presence  of  the  uniting  and  equalizing  force  of  a  common 
spiritual  faith  and  sympathy.  As  to  his  intellectual 
abilities,  I  always  regarded  him  as  above  the  average; 
and  his  appearances  in  his  college  classes  testified  to  his 
diligence  as  a  student.  Looking  back  on  our  intimate 
friendship,  now  of  several  years'  duration,  I  cannot 
remember  one  act  which  struck  me  as  unworthy  of  his 
Christian  profession.  His  disposition  was  so  affectionate, 
his  manners  so  agreeable,  his  judgments  so  charitable,  and 
his  actions  so  considerate,  that  his  friends  might  readily 
enough  forget  he  was  a  Kafir,  but  could  not  well  forget 
he  was  a  gentleman." 

The  John  Street  Session  having  taken  steps  to  give 
Tiyo  Soga  a  modicum  of  medical  knowledge  at  the 
Andersonian  University,  in  addition  to  defraying  all  the 
expenses  "  for  the  rest  of  his  education,"  now  that  they 
considered  his  term  of  training  at  a  close,  took  measures 
for  awakening  an  interest  in  the  Kafir  mission  as  well  as 
of  testifying  their  own  respect  for  him,  as  the  following 
minutes  show : — 

"  The  Session  proceeded  to  consider  the  approaching 
cessation  of  the  relation  between  the  Church  and  Mr. 
Tiyo  Soga,  and  it  was  strongly  felt  that  it  would  be  good 
for  the  cause  of  missions  if  Mr.  Soga  could  be  licensed  to 
preach  the  Gospel  after  the  ensuing  session  of  the  Hall,  and 
thereafter  be  sent  through  the  churches  for  six  months, 
to  excite  an  interest  in  the  Kafir  mission.  In  accordance 
with  this  feeling,  the  Pastors  were  requested  to  represent 


TIYO'S   STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  87 

the  mind  of  the  Session  to  the  Presbytery,  and  also  to  the 
Mission  Board." 

"  9th  September,  1856. — The  Session,  understanding 
that  Mr.  T'lyo  Soga  would  be  licensed  by  the  Presbytery 
to  preach  the  Gospel,  and  that  he  would  then  be  accepted 
by  the  Mission  Board  as  one  of  their  agents,  and  be  sent 
out  to  Kafirland  as  a  fully  ordained  minister,  agree  to 
heartily  recommend  his  case  to  the  Church,  and  propose 
that  they  should  raise  sufficient  funds  to  give  him  a 
respectable  outfit  for  the  mission  field." 

Having  passed  the  final  examinations  for  license,  he 
was,  on  10th  December,  1856,  along  with  a  fellow-student, 
the  Rev.  Daniel  Maclean,  first  of  Jamaica,  and  now  of 
Lanark,  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel  by  the  United 
Presbyterian  Presbytery  of  Glasgow.  On  the  Sunday 
following,  the  14th  December,  he  occupied  in  the  forenoon 
the  pulpit  of  Montrose  Street  Church,  where  he  preached 
his  first  sermon  as  an  accredited  preacher  of  the  Cross. 
In  the  afternoon  he  stood  in  the  pulpit  of  John  Street 
Church,  and  demonstrated  beyond  dispute  that  the  sum 
of  £202,  given  for  his  education  and  support,  was  not 
misapplied.  Concerning  that  day's  services  Tiyo  recorded : 
"  The  Lord  strengthened  and  assisted  me."  Of  the  sermon 
preached  in  John  Street,  Dr.  Anderson  wrote  :  "  There 
were  some  things  in  which  I  did  not  concur  with  him.  I 
do  not  see  the  difficulty  with  which  he  grappled.  The 
handling  of  the  subject  shows  that  he  will  think  for  him- 
self. Considering  the  speaker,  and  the  manner  in  which 
he  treated  his  subject,  I  have  seldom  listened  to  a  discourse 
with  greater  interest  or  higher  satisfaction.  It  clearly 
shows  that  the  gift  of  a  fine  mind  is  not  the  monopoly 
of  climate  or  colour.  There  were  acuteness  and  ability 
displayed,  while  the  devout  breathing   throughout   the 


88  TIYO   SOGA. 

•  liscourse  reminded  me  of  the  earnestness  of  the  Ethiopian 
eunuch :  '  Here  is  water,  what  doth  hinder  me  to  be 
baptized.?'  The  style  of  composition,  considering  that 
he  spoke  in  a  foreign  tongue,  was  good  to  a  degree — some 
beautiful  figures." 

On  the  evening  of  the  28rd  of  December  of  the  same 
year  Tiyo  Soga  was  ordained  to  the  office  of  the  ministry 
in  John  Street  Church,  along  with  Mr.  Maclean,  by  the 
same  Presbytery  which  licensed  them.  The  sermon  was 
preached  by  the  Kev.  H.  Calderwood,  of  Greyfrairs,  now 
Professor  of  Moral  Philosophy  in  the  University  of  Edin- 
burgh, from  1  Cor.  iii.  7.  The  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson  presided 
as  Moderator.  The  old  church  was  densely  crowded  from 
floor  to  ceiling  by  a  vast  audience.  Perched  in  an  obscure 
corner  of  the  gallery,  as  deeply  interested  spectators,  were 
a  number  of  junior  students  as  Soga's  personal  friends. 
Calderwood  was  effective  to  a  degree.  There  was  no 
rhetoric;  scarcely  a  figure  in  the  sermon;  yet  withal  it 
had  a  deep,  earnest  meaning,  which  fascinated,  although 
it  neither  excited  nor  thrilled ;  and  even  then  to  young 
men  of  thought  and  purpose  there  was  proof  sufficient  that 
the  preacher  was  destined  to  occupy  a  prominent  place 
as  a  teacher.  The  platform,  to  one  of  Soga's  country- 
men, would  have  betokened  an  unusual  and  singularly 
important  event,  for  the  "grey  heads"  were  there,  and  the 
"  bald  heads  "  too,  which,  when  found  in  a  Kafir  orathering, 
are  sure  signs  of  something  great  coming.  Drs.  Lindsay, 
Macfarlane,  and  M'Michael  were  among  the  group;  and 
Drs.  Robson,  Edmond,  and  Logan  Aikman,  and  Messrs. 
Taylor  and  Ramage  were  there.  To  complete  the  picture, 
there  were  younger  men  whose  names  were  household 
words  in  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  such  as  John 
Ker,  Middleton,  and  John  Maclaren,  each  facile  princeps 


TIYO'S    STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  89 

in  his  own  special  walk.  The  most  distinguishing  feature 
of  that  service,  and  the  most  memorable  part  of  the  even- 
ing's programme  was  the  ordination  prayer  offered  by  Dr. 
Anderson,  and  his  address  which  followed.  The  old  man 
seemed  wild  with  excitement.  With  one  hand  resting  on 
the  woolly  head  of  Tiyo,  whilst  the  other  was  outstretched 
to  heaven,  he  screeched  out  one  of  the  most  extraordinary 
prayers  that  ever  fell  from  human  lips.  With  a  pathos 
and  earnestness  never  surpassed,  he  offered  supplications 
for  the  richest  blessings  to  rest  on  his  young  Kafir  brother. 
Then  there  was  a  sudden  break  to  this  thrilling  devotion, 
and  something  followed  very  lilce  a  tirade  against  the 
colonial  policy  of  England ;  the  petitions  seemed  to  bristle 
with  scathing  satire  against  Her  Majesty's  Government 
and  the  Premier,  and  the  Colonial  Secretary's  name  rang 
throuo'hout  the  church,  whilst  his  blunderino-  acts  were 
confessed  as  if  by  his  own  lips.  In  marked  contrast  were 
the  supplications  presented  for  "  the  noble  Kafir  chieftain, 
Sandilli."  When  this  point  was  reached,  and  whilst  not 
doubting  the  fervency  and  devotion,  we  instinctively  felt 
that  the  nobility  of  character  attributed  to  the  Gaika  chief 
was  purely  ideal,  and  suggested  by  the  presence  of  the 
Kafir  who  that  evening  publicly  received  his  commission 
to  go  forth  as  a  herald  of  the  cross. 

On  that  memorable  night  the  dream  of  Tiyo's  youth 
and  opening  manhood  was  realized.  He  was  now  fully 
equipped  as  a  preacher  of  the  gospel.  If  he  has  been 
singled  out  at  a  venture  to  occupy  a  solemn  position 
for  which  he  was  not  qualified,  his  un worthiness  would 
soon  reveal  itself  in  connection  with  God's  work.  His 
patrons  and  educators  have  pronounced  him  worthy  of 
all  confidence  and  respect.  His  countrymen  have  yet 
to  learn  what  can  be  taught  by  one  of  their  own  race, 


90  TIYO   SOGA. 

elevated,  civilized,  and  christianized  by  the  gospel.  He 
had  solemnly  vowed  before  God  and  men  "  to  endure 
hardness  as  a  orood  soldier  of  Jesus  Christ,  that  when  the 
chief  Shepherd  shall  appear,  he  may  receive  a  crown  of 
glory  that  fadeth  not  away." 

The  few  months  following  his  ordination  were  to  him  a 
season  of  ceaseless  excitement.  The  congregations  were 
eager  to  hear  the  "  newly-fledged  Kafir  preacher."  Invita- 
tions more  numerous  than  he  could  accept  poured  in  upon 
him  from  all  quarters,  inviting  him  either  to  preach  or  to 
address  congregational  meetings,  Sunday  school  soirees, 
and  other  religious  gatherings.  Anxious  to  arouse  an 
interest  in  the  Kafir  mission,  he  appeared  in  many  pulpits 
and  on  many  platforms,  though  his  physical  strength  was 
often  unequal  to  the  constant  strain  on  his  nervous  system. 
As  an  instance  of  one  of  the  black  minister's  experiences 
on  one  of  these  public  occasions,  let  the  reader  take  the 
following,  as  contributed  by  the  Rev.  Robert  Johnston,  of 
Port  Elizabeth : — 

"On  the  Sunday  after  his  ordination,  Mr.  Soga  was 
occupying  the  pulpit  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Niven,  Maryhill, 
when  the  following  ludicrous  incident  occurred : — The 
little  church  was  crowded  to  excess,  so  that  a  part  of 
his  audience  was  very  close  to  him.  The  ordeal  was 
all  the  more  trying,  as  good  manners  were  overcome  by 
curiosity.  As  he  entered  the  pulpit  he  felt  unusually 
nervous.  Whilst  the  second  psalm  was  being  sung  he 
had  his  right  arm  reclining  on  the  edge  of  the  pulpit. 
As  he  looked  timidly  round  upon  his  audience,  his  eye 
caught  a  little  boy  standing  against  the  pulpit,  and  with 
puzzled  face  gazing  upon  the  sooty  hand  which  lay  before 
him.  The  black  hand  absorbed  him.  It  was  a  new 
experience.    He  was  evidently  reasoning  upon  the  subject. 


TIYOS  STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  91 

and  would  try  an  experiment.  He  raised  his  hand  quietly 
and  drew  his  forefinger  across  Tiyo's  hand,  and  then  turned 
it  up  to  see  if  any  soot  had  been  removed  in  the  process. 
With  his  finger  still  clean,  the  puzzled  aspect  of  his  face 
increased,  and  immediately  a  bright  idea  seemed  to  strike 
him,  and  wetting  his  forefinger  on  his  tongue,  he  again 
drew  it  across  the  hand  and  turned  it  up,  evidently 
expecting  that  he  should  now  succeed  in  carrying  away 
some  of  the  soot  with  which  he  had  covered  himself. 
The  look  which  the  boy  now  gave  Tiyo  was  almost 
too  much  for  him,  and  had  he  not  recollected  where 
he  was,  he  would  most  assuredly  have  gone  off"  into  a 
violent  fit  of  laughter.  The  funny  experience  did  him 
good.  It  steadied  his  nerves,  and  he  never  preached  with 
greater  comfort. 

"  Tiyo  Soga  had  many  true  and  tried  friends  in  Scot- 
land. But  not  a  few  desired  his  acquaintance  and  to 
have  him  in  their  houses  out  of  sheer  curiosity,  or  perhaps 
to  hear  him  repeat  the  Kafir  alphabet,  or  sing  a  Kafir 
hymn.  Soga  was  '  bored '  by  such  invitations  in  Scotland. 
Although  his  studies  were  important  and  pressing,  the 
invitations  poured  in  upon  him,  and  he  had  sometimes  to 
be  the  African  lion  of  the  evening.  On  one  such  occasion 
he  had  found  his  way  to  the  house  of  a  good  friend. 
Host  and  hostess  were  all  that  could  be  desired.  The 
elder  children  and  other  guests  evidently  considered  it  an 
evening  to  be  remembered.  A  rosy,  curly-headed  boy 
had  been  told  of  the  coloured  guest.  But  the  thing  was 
a  mystery.  The  black  face  at  once  arrested  him.  He 
paused  in  a  sort  of  dumhfoundered  state  as  he  found 
himself  fronted  so  closely  by  such  a  sooty  face.  He 
looked,  and  better  looked.  By  and  by  the  fear  began  to 
abate,  and  he  mustered  courage  to  take  furtive  glances  at 


92  TIYO   SOGA. 

the  object  of  his  alarm.  Then  he  blurted  out  in  some- 
thing more  than  a  whisper,  and  to  the  confusion  of  his 
parents  and  their  guests,  '  Is  that  a  new  catched  ane  ? ' 
Soga  said  he  blushed  deeply,  although  perhaps  fortunately 
his  colour  hid  his  blushes.  He  felt  drawn  to  the  little 
fellow  all  the  more,  and  although  'a  new  catched  ane,' 
he  and  the  little  philosopher  were  great  friends  ere  the 
evening  was  over. 

"  The  last  time  I  visited  Dr.  W.  Anderson  was  with 
Soofa,  shortlv  before  we  left  for  South  Africa.  Sos^a  had 
been  spending  a  little  while  with  me  at  my  father's  farm 
of  Chapelside,  which  looks  down  upon  the  vale  of  Clyde 
over  against  Bothwell,  TJddingston,  &c.  When  accom- 
panying my  friend  to  Glasgow,  he  proposed  we  should 
look  in  upon  the  doctor  at  his  country  residence.  We 
found  the  doctor  at  home,  and  thoroughly  enjoyed  the 
short  visit.  He  asked,  '  Do  either  of  you  lads  snufF? '  On 
being  answered  in  the  negative,  he  rejoined :  '  Be  thankful, 
for  if  you  were  wrecked  on  some  desert  island  or  rocky 
coast,  or  your  ship  water-logged,  or  you  should  need  to 
betake  yourselves  to  the  boats,  and  have  weary  days  of 
it  upon  the  wide  ocean,  with  very  little  provisions  and 
water,  you  would  not  suffer  as  much  as  I  would,  were  I 
wrecked,  because  of  this  detestable  habit  of  mine.'  He 
followed  up  this  strangely  comforting  remark  with  the 
following :  '  I  called  one  day  at  a  house  on  business.  On 
the  table  there  was  an  ordinary  brass  snuff-box,  which  of 
course  was  soon  in  my  hand,  but  there  was  nothing  in 
it  to  quench  my  snuff-thirst.  I  observed  various  rude 
''  nicks  "  along  the  edge,  as  if  made  by  a  strong  knife. 
The  master  of  the  house  detailed  the  history  of  that  box 
and  the  "  nicks."  "  My  son  is  a  sailor,  and  a  snuffer.  On  a 
late  voyage  the  ship  became  water-logged,  and  he  escaped 


TIYOS   STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  9;^ 

to  the  rigging  of  the  vessel,  taking  with  him  as  much 
provisions  as  he  could  possibly  cany.  My  son  had  his 
snuff-box,  and  these  '  nicks '  were  made  as  he  clung  to  the 
mast  of  the  ill-fated  vessel.  Shaking  the  snuflf  well  to 
the  one  end  of  the  box,  he  lifted  it  back  pinch  by  pinch 
to  the  other  end  of  the  box,  keeping  careful  count  of  the 
pinches  the  while,  and  then  dividing  the  whole  by  the 
probable  number  of  days  before  a  vessel  should  pass,  he 
rationed  himself  off  accordingly,  and  whenever  he  took  a 
pinch,  a  nick  was  added,  that  he  might  not  mistake  as 
to  the  number  of  scanty  snuff-meals  which  he  should 
take  every  day,  and  he  suffered  more  from  want  of  snuff 
than  either  meat  or  drink."'  The  doctor  concluded :  '  Be 
thankful,  lads,  ye  don't  snuff,  and  keep  away  from  the 
detestable  habit.' " 

On  27th  February,  1857,  Mr.  Soga  was  married  to  Miss 
Janet  Burnside.  During  the  early  days  of  his  student 
life  his  affections  had  gone  forth  to  a  young  girl  of  his 
own  colour,  named  "  Stella,"  who  was  on  a  visit  to  Scot- 
land with  her  uncle,  the  Rev.  Dr.  Garnet,  from  America; 
but  her  life  was  quickly  ended  after  leaving  the  Scottish 
shores.  Had  she  lived  to  be  united  to  him,  there  was 
every  prospect  that  she  would  have  proved  a  most  excellent 
wife.  He  was  delicate,  considerate,  tender,  sometimes 
irresolute,  open  handed,  and  easily  imposed  upon;  brimful 
of  the  milk  of  human  kindness,  ready  at  all  times 
to  sacrifice  his  own  interests  for  the  benefit  of  others  of 
whatever  colour,  and  he  required  some  one  as  an  help-meet 
who  would  be  his  counterpart,  and  thus  make  a  complete 
man  of  him,  by  filling  up  those  features  of  character  in 
which  he  was  defective.  Taking  the  step  towards  amal- 
gamating the  black  and  white  races  made  many  Cape 
Colonists  feel  that  there  was  a  desire  on  Tiyo's  part  to 


94  TIYO   SOGA. 

make  himself  au  Englishman.  This  insinuation  was  a 
great  sorrow  to  him.  He  would  have  been  the  worthy 
husband  of  the  noblest,  most  refined,  most  accomplished 
and  most  loving  woman  on  the  face  of  God's  earth ;  but 
as  he  was  destined  to  labour  in  his  native  land,  where 
prejudice  against  colour  runs  so  high  and  strong,  his  friends 
mio-ht  have  foreseen  the  difficulties  he  would  encounter, 
and  how,  if  not  a  man  of  true  sterling  piety,  there  was  a 
possibility  of  the  music  of  his  domestic  life  being  made 
mute  "by  a  little  rift  within  the  lute."  His  wife,  on 
the  other  hand,  probably  from  missionary  enthusiasm, 
and  also  from  the  fact  that  her  husband  was  one  of  the 
"lions"  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  must  have 
passed  through  no  slight  ordeal  when  the  stern  realities 
of  African  life  burst  upon  her.  She  was  honourable, 
thrifty,  frugal,  devoted,  and  marched  heroically  and 
faithfull}^  by  her  husband's  side  through  all  the  chequered 
scenes  of  his  short  life.  There  is  an  exquisite  vein  of 
humour  running  through  the  following  invitation  to  the 
marriage  ceremony,  which  Tiyo  sent  to  one  of  his  dearest 
and  most  intimate  friends  : — 

"As  a  poor  culprit,  who  has  fallen  into  the  traps  and 

snares  of  Cupid,  the  Invincible,  will  you  and  Mrs.  

(if  well  then),  in  virtue  of  old  friendship,  come  and  witness 
the  final  execution  of  the  sentence  against  the  criminal, 
and  give  me  the  benefit  of  your  mutual  blessing  before  I 
shall  be  launched  into  the  horrors  of  matrimony.  Ker, 
of  Campbell  Street,  will  be  the  executioner.  The  terrible 
tragedy  takes  place  in  Ibroxholm,  Paisley  Road,  at  twelve 
o'clock  noon. 

"  I  am,  dear , 

"  In  terror  of  coming  events, 

"Tiyo  Soga." 


TIYO'S   STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  95 

The  year  1857  was  one  of  considerable  missionary 
excitement  in  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  because 
seven  of  her  sons — one  of  them  a  Kafir — had  given 
themselves  to  Christian  work  in  the  foreign  field.  These 
seven  were  grouped  together  as  one  family  in  a  photo- 
graph, and  appeared  individually  as  "  one  of  seven"  in  the 
various  pulpits,  and  preached  to  interested  congregations : 
unitedly  the  mystic  number  appeared  on  the  platform,  and 
in  succession  addressed  missionary  meetings.  As  if  to 
commemorate  in  song  this  sevenfold  youthful  sacrifice, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  John  Edmond  took  up  his  lyre  and  sang 
this  missionary  hymn : — 

THE    SEVEN. 
Brothers  to  the  swart  race  sent! 
Brothers  to  The  Lord's  work  lent! 
Go  the  way  your  Master  went, 

"By  the  Spirit  driven; 
To  the  desert  and  the  war-^ 
To  the  kloofs  and  isles  afar, 
Where  the  spoilers'  strongholds  are, 

Valiant  go,  ye  seven! 

By  the  blood  The  Blest  One  shed, 
When  He  bowed  to  death  His  head; 
When  the  pierced  limbs  streamed  red, 

And  the  side  was  riven; 
By  the  bursting  of  His  grave, 
Signal  of  His  might  to  save; 
V'Y  ihe  living  fire  He  gave — 

Conquering  go,  ye  seven! 

He  who  once  from  Olives'  crest, 
i:'arting  to  His  glorious  rest. 
North  and  south  and  east  and  Vvest, 

Sent  His  own  eleven; 
Bade  them  swift  as  couriers  run, 
Publishing  salvation  won 
Widely  as  the  circling  sun — 

Sendeth  yon,  Ifis  seven. 


96  TIYO   SOGA. 

Fear  not  earttly  bonds  to  sever, 
He  forsakes  His  servants  never; 
"I  am  witli  you,  lo,  for  ever" — 

So  the  word  was  given. 
Leaning  on  the  promise  sure, 
Underneath  His  shield  secure, 
Strong  to  do,  and  dare,  and  dure, 

Joyous  go,  ye  seven! 

Long  have  veterans  from  the  field, 
Bending  weary  o'er  their  shield. 
Brave,  but  few,  for  help  appealed; 

Patient  have  they  striven, 
Now  be  grateful  succour  sped  ! 
Step  where  stood  the  honoured  dead, 
Where  the  pioneers  have  led, 

Follow  on,  ye  seven! 

Hark !  they  call  you,  o'er  the  wave, 
Sons  by  fallen  warriors'  grave; 
Children  of  the  exile  slave: 

(Be  the  wrong  forgiven!) 
Haste,  then,  herald  sons  of  peace, 
Bid  the  mourners'  wailing  cease; 
Sound  the  captive  souls  release; 

Speed  ye,  brothers  seven  ! 

As  you  toil,  this  thought  will  cheer — 
Seven-fold  love  has  linked  you  here; 
And  when  summons,  late  or  near, 

Calls  your  first  to  heaven. 
There  shall  he  in  white  robes  drest, 
As  he  mingles  with  the  blest. 
Whisper,  mindful  of  the  rest, 

*'  I  am  one  of  seven." 

Kod  from  noble  Erskine's  root ! 
Branch  from  good  Gillespie's  shoot ! 
Twined  and  clustered  now  with  fruit, 

Like  the  cedar  thriven : 
Happy  Church!  united,  free; 
Bless  The  King  that  blesseth  thee, 
Prospered  aims,  adoring  see, 

Sending  forth  thy  seven. 


TIYC/S   STUDENT   LIFE  CONTINUED.  97 

Pledge  them  honoured  as  thou  art, 
Pledge  them  open  hand  and  heart, 
Pledge  them  prayer  when  far  apart, 

Offered  morn  and  even; 
Till  in  Eden  bloom  shall  smile 
Kafir  glen  and  Indian  isle, 
Sending  blessings  back  the  while, 

Seventy-fold  for  seven. 

On  13th  April  of  the  same  year  Tiyo  Soga,  after 
receiviug  sundry  testimonials  from  his  friends  and  well- 
wishers,  left  Glasgow.  On  the  following  day  he  writes 
from  London :  "  Tn  the  good  providence  of  our  God  we 
reached  this  city  of  wonders  in  safety  this  morning.  We 
are  well  physically,  though  mentally  sad.  Oh,  what  a 
night  was  last  night  to  us,  especially  to  poor,  dear  Mrs. 
Soga !  I  have  never  before  commiserated  any  one  so 
much  as  I  did  her  last  night  and  this  morning  on  our 
journey.  I  have  made  no  sacrifice  at  all.  She,  poor  thing ! 
has  made  the  sacrifice.  I  trust  a  sense  of  this  will  render 
me  tenderly  attached  and  afiectionate  as  her  husband." 

"  Mr.  Soga  and  I,  with  our  wives,"  writes  Mr.  Johnston, 
"  sailed  from  London  in  the  Lady  of  the  Lake,  which 
had  a  full  complement  of  passengers.  We  had  a  long 
voyage  of  nearly  three  months.  He  must  be  a  most  con- 
summate actor  who  can  hide  himself  successfully,  and 
not  let  his  true  temper  and  nature  be  known  during  a 
long  sea  voyage.  Mr.  Soga  did  not  lose,  but  gained 
much  upon  us  during  our  ship  imprisonment,  and  there 
was  nothing  of  the  actor  in  our  friend.  After  three 
months'  close  contact  we  learned  to  respect  and  love  him 
more.  He  was  patient,  courteous,  kind,  self-forgetting, 
and  humorous  at  times,  which  is  a  most  desirable  trait, 
especially  in  such  circumstances.  He  was  always  the 
Christian  gentleman  and  the  Christian  minister." 

G 


98  TIYO   SOGA. 

Tiyo  Soga  had  completed  his  instruction  in  the  school- 
room— for  education  ends  with  the  end  of  life — and 
as  an  agent  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  in  his 
naiive  land,  and  also  the  first  ordained  minister  of  his 
race,  the  following  report  of  the  John  Street  Session 
proves  a  fitting  conclusion  to  this  chapter  of  the  story  of 
his  life : — 

"  2nd  June,  1857. — The  Committee  of  Session  appointed 
in  December,  1851,  to  superintend  the  studies  of  Tiyo 
Soga,  now  report  to  the  brethren  that  their  care  (they 
cannot  call  it  labour)  has  terminated  in  the  happy  events 
of  Mr.  Soga  having  been  licensed  to  preach  the  gospel,  and 
ordained  as  missionary  to  his  Kaffrarian  kinsfolk.  The 
committee  felicitate  the  Session,  the  Sabbath  classes,  and 
the  Church  at  large,  on  the  manner  in  which  all  parties 
have  thus  far  been  honoured  of  the  Lord  in  having  received 
the  charge  of  maintaining,  and  inspecting  the  studies  and 
character  of  this  young  man  of  colour.  It  is  scarcely 
possible  to  conceive  of  anything  more  satisfactory.  Among 
professors  in  the  College  and  Divinity  Hall,  there  has  been 
a  sort  of  vying  with  one  another  who  should  give  the  best 
testimony  on  his  behalf  in  respect  of  his  diligence  and 
progress;  and  for  the  few  months  he  continued  to  preach 
in  Scotland,  few,  if  any,  of  his  co-licentiates  were  more 
popular,  and  that  not  on  the  ground  of  it  being  wonderful 
that  he  should  preach  so  well,  but  on  the  ground  of  the 
substantial  excellence  of  the  matter  of  his  discourses  and 
the  grace  of  their  delivery.  What  is  better:  such  has  been 
the  propriety,  the  purity,  the  prudence,  the  gravity,  the 
solemnity  of  his  deportment,  and  yet  the  cheerful,  afiec- 
tionate  freedom  of  his  social  conduct,  that  your  committee, 
though  they  feel  they  have  been  faithful  in  warning  him 
against  the  seductions  incident  to  37outh,  never  did  so  on 


TIYOS   STUDENT   LIFE   CONTINUED.  99 

account  of  anything  they  ever  heard  or  saw  of  him  which 
required  check  or  rebuke. 

"  It  is  your  Committee's  prayer  that  all  our  Church 
undertakes  may  prosper  as  well  as  the  charge  with  which 
He  who  holds  the  seven  stars  in  His  right  hand,  has 
prospered  our  charge  of  the  Rev.  Tiyo  Soga.  And  yet  we 
depend  on  the  same  Lord  of  mercy  still,  that  our  hopes 
be  not  blasted  and  withered,  but  that  we  may  reap  fruit 
in  the  prolongation  of  his  life,  in  the  maintenance  of  his 
graces,  and  the  blessing  of  his  efforts  for  the  evangelization 
of  his  brethren.  We  wait  on  the  Lord  for  good  news  from 
the  far  country. 

(Signed)  "  William  Anderson. 
"William  Paterson. 
"R  A.  Bogue. 

"The  Session  at  same  time  received  from  the  same 
committee  the  report  that  the  entire  cost  of  Mr.  Soga's 
education  and  board  amounted  to  £202,  and  that  the 
subscriptions  for  his  outfit  reached  the  handsome  sum  of 
£132  Is.  lOd. 

"  The  Session  most  cordially  voted  thanks  to  the  Com- 
mittee for  their  great  diligence,  and  by  the  blessing  of 
God  for  bringing  their  charge  to  such  a  very  satisfactory 
termination." 

It  cost  £202  to  instruct  Tiyo  Soga  so  as  to  qualify  him 
for  the  ministry  !  To  turn  out  such  a  man  charged  with 
such  a  message  as  that  with  which  he  was  commissioned 
was  marvellously  cheap.  John  Street  Church  did  it. 
John  Street  Church  has  the  credit  of  it.  John  Street 
Church  reaps  the  reward  for  it :  "  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it 
unto  one  of  the  least  of  these  my  brethren  ye  did  it  unto 
me."  She  adopted  this  Kafir  youth  and  made  him  her 
own ;  she  watched  over  him  and  taui^ht  him,  and  warned 


100  TITO   SOGA. 

him  and  supported  him.  But  for  her  benevolence,  Tiyo 
Soga  might  have  become  as  degraded  as  any  of  the 
nation  from  which  he  sprung.  Such  work  is  enduring, 
and  carries  a  blessing  with  it.  Until,  therefore,  it  can  be 
shown  that  the  beneficence  was  grudged  or  stinted,  let 
John  Street  Church  continue  to  merit  the  blessing  of  the 
Master:  "Whosoever  Shall  give  to  drink  unto  one  of 
these  little  ones  a  cup  of  cold  water  only,  in  the  name  of 
a  disciple,  verily  I  say  unto  you,  he  shall  in  no  wise  lose 
his  reward."    • 


CHAPTER    IX. 

THE    CATTLE    KILLING   DELUSION. 
"Wild  words  wander  here  and  there." 

"  This  is  the  end  of  war/'  said  Sir  Harry  Smith,  Governor 
of  the  Cape  Colony,  in  King  William's  Town  on  23rd 
December,  1847,  at  a  peace  meeting  which  he  held 
after  a  protracted  war.  As  he  uttered  these  words,  he 
threw  forcibly  on  the  ground  the  staff  of  war,  after 
the  Kafir  chiefs  had  touched  the  staff  of  peace,  thereby 
signifying  their  submission.  His  Excellency  was  sorely 
disappointed  afterwards  to  find  that  peace  is  not  purchased 
by  touching  a  staff  of  peace,  for  he  discovered  that  the 
Kafijrs  had  not  been  conquered,  but  had  only  submitted 
for  want  of  food  and  ammunition.  The  smouldering 
embers  were  soon  to  be  fanned  into  a  great  war  flame 
by  the  "  wild  words "  of  a  false  prophet,  Mlanjeni  by 
name.  The  dramatic  farce  of  Sir  Harry  was  followed  by 
a  tragedy  which  caused  thousands  to  weep  and  mourn, 
and  thousands  more  to  meet  an  untimely  grave.  Many 
false  seers  had  arisen  amongst  the  Kafir  nation,  and 
Mlanjeni  threatened  to  eclipse  them  all;  but  it  was  not 
so,  as  the  sequel  clearly  shows.  After  a  war  of  nearly 
two  years'  duration,  another  peace  meeting  was  held  at 
King  William's  Town,  on  10th  March,  1853,  by  the  then 
Governor,  Sir  George  Cathcart.  He  broke  the  power  of  the 
Gaikas  by  forbidding  them  to  return  and  settle  amongst 
their  natural  fortresses  in  the  Amatole  mountains,  and  by 


102  TIYO   SOGA. 

placing  them  in  the  undulating  woodless  country  between 
the  Keiskama  and  the  Kei  rivers. 

The  Gaikas  looked  on  this  measure  with  great  abhor- 
rence. Their  hearts  yearned  for  their  old  haunts,  where 
they  enjoyed  unrestrained  liberty  amid  rich  pastures  and 
dense  forests,  and  had  water  and  game  in  abundance.  It 
was  touching  in  the  extreme,  when,  shortly  after  being- 
located  in  their  new  and  unappreciated  country,  the 
itinerating  missionary  found  them  in  a  stooping  posture, 
brooding  over  the  past  and  the  present,  and,  above  all, 
concerned  about  the  future.  Being  asked  why  they  were 
cast  down,  the  answer  was  uttered  in  a  melancholy  strain : 
"  Do  you  not  see  ?  I  cannot  live  with  comfort  on  these 
flats  where  there  is  no  bush.  I  have  no  rest  day  or 
night ;  my  cattle  are  always  turning  their  heads  towards 
the  Amatole,  lowing  and  bellowing  night  and  day  for 
their  former  rich  pastures.  They  can  never  fatten  here ; 
they  have  no  shelter.  Soon  they  must  all  die,  and  so 
also  must  we." 

When  England,  France,  and  Russia  were  engaged  in 
mortal  combat  in  1854,  the  tidings  of  this  gigantic  war 
spread  rapidly  throughout  the  world,  and  even  reached 
the  hamlets  and  huts  of  the  Kafir  people.  The  news  that 
England  was  fighting  her  battles  across  the  sea  revived 
once  more  the  Kafirs'  hope  of  throwing  off  the  hated 
English  yoke.  The  remark  was  frequently  made,  "  The 
Russians  are  black  people  like  ourselves,  and  they  are 
coming  to  assist  us  to  drive  tlie  English  into  the  sea." 
What  in  British  Kaffi^aria  was  whispered  in  the  ear,  was 
openly  proclaimed  among  the  Galekas  in  the  Transkei, 
under  the  paramount  chief,  Kreli.  The  day  and  hour 
were  foretold  when  the  Russians  would  come  to  the 
rescue,  and  some  of  the  Kafirs  were  confounded  when 


THE   CATTLE   KILLING   DELUSION.  103 

the  fixed  time  arrived,  and  no  Russian  Cossack  made  his 
appearance  in  Kalirland. 

In  March,  185G,  Mhlakaza,  the  most  renowned  of  Kafir 
seers,  rose  among  the  Galekas,  and  by  a  prophesying 
medium  (his  daughter  Nongqause),  preached  to  the  Kafirs 
a  new  gospel,  which  was  none  other  than  a  resurrection 
from  the  dead.  She  professed  to  have  held  converse  with 
the  floating  spirits  of  the  old  Katir  heroes  and  chiefs — 
Ndlambe,  Hintsa,  Mdushane,  Gaika,  and  Eno — who  had 
witnessed  with  sorrow  the  ruin  of  their  race  from  the 
oppression  of  their  conquerors;  and  as  they  could  no 
longer  be  silent  spectators  of  the  wrongs  and  insults  of 
the  Kafirs,  it  was  their  intention  to  come  to  the  rescue, 
and  save  their  progeny  from  extinction.  They  would 
appear  once  more  in  the  flesh  among  their  people,  and  be 
preceded  by  a  frightful  whirlwind,  which  would  not  only 
sweep  ofl"  all  the  English,  but  also  all  Kafirs  who  did  not 
believe  in  this  revelation,  or  refused  to  obey  their  orders. 
They  demanded,  as  a  pledge  of  the  Kafirs'  belief,  and  as 
a  means  of  hastening  the  arrival  of  the  golden  era  of 
liberty,  that  there  must  be  the  utter  extermination  of  all 
cattle,  great  and  small,  horses  and  dogs  being  the  only 
animals  exempted ;  that  every  grain  of  maize  and  Kafir 
corn  should  be  sold  or  thrown  away ;  that  the  land  every- 
where should  be  untouched,  and  not  a  sod  thereof  be 
turned ;  for  if  the  ground  was  disturbed  by  cultivation, 
the  advent  of  the  resurrection  would  be  retarded  or  alto- 
gether hindered.  They  further  declared  that  on  the  day 
of  resurrection  there  would  live  ao-ain  and  follow  in  their 
train  all  Kafirs  who  had  died,  as  well  as  the  choicest  of 
English  cattle ;  that  the  richest  and  daintiest  food  would 
be  provided;  wagons  and  clothes,  and  above  all,  guns 
and  ammunition  in  abundance  would  be  at  the  disposal  of 


104  TIYO   SOGA. 

every  believer.  The  living  Kafirs  would  also  die,  and  soon 
rise  again,  and  the  old  people  would  resume  the  bloom  and 
elasticity  of  youth.  They  stated  further,  that  the  Kafirs 
must  now  have  done,  and  for  ever,  with  witchcraft,  and 
destroy  all  their  charms,  and  thereby  the  cause  of  death 
would  be  abolished,  and  the  race  would  become  gifted 
with  immortality  and  enjoy  perpetual  youth. 

The  delusive  prophecies  of  the  Galeka  father  and 
daughter  threatened  to  come  to  an  untimely  termination, 
as  the  tribe  among  whom  they  lived  became  scornful  and 
indifferent ;  but  suddenly  Kreli,  the  paramount  chief  of 
the  Galekas,  rose  upon  the  scene,  made  frequent  visits  to 
the  village  of  Mhlakaza,  and  ultimately  avowed  himself  a 
believer  in  the  teachings  of  the  false  seer.  He  professed 
to  accept  the  gospel  with  his  whole  heart,  and  proved  his 
belief  in  it  by  killing  hundreds  of  his  finest  bullocks.  As 
the  great  chief  rejDeated  his  visits  to  Mhlakaza  alone,  and 
held  secret  counsel  with  him,  it  is  impossible  to  say  with 
certainty  what  were  his  motives.  We  can  only  conjecture 
that  it  was  to  rouse  his  countrymen  to  make  one  last 
desperate  effort  to  recover  their  lost  power  and  country. 
Simultaneously  driven  to  madness  by  famine,  they  would 
rush  unitedly  into  the  colony  on  an  errand  of  extermi- 
nation. Accordingly  he  sent  a  message  throughout  the 
length  and  breadth  of  his  own  country,  and  even  to  the 
chiefs  in  British  Kaffraria,  calling  upon  the  nation  to  obey 
to  the  letter  the  command  of  their  ancestors. 

At  first  the  Kafir  nation  was  stunned.  The  sacrifice 
seemed  too  great ;  for  dearer  to  the  Kafir  than  friends  or 
family  were  the  cattle  he  loved  so  well  to  herd.  But  the 
command  of  the  chief  was  stern  and  inexorable.  Thouofh 
the  chiefs  in  British  Kaffraria  shrank  from  fulfilling  Kreli's 

o 

behest,  they  ultimately,  with  a  few  exceptions,  came  under 


THE  CATTLE  KILLING  DELUSION.  105 

the  spell  of  Nongqaus^'s  prophecy.  Tidings  of  the  mar- 
vellous sights  witnessed  near  Mhlakaza's  village  filled  the 
country.  The  horns  of  beautiful  oxen  were  said  to  have 
been  seen  peeping  from  beneath  the  rushes  which  grew 
"around  a  swampy  pool  near  the  village  of  the  seer ;  the 
distant  lowing  of  the  restless  rising  animals  had  been 
distinctly  heard.  Kreli  declared  that  he  had  seen  a  cele- 
l)rated  horse  of  Mhlakaza's,  long  since  dead,  but  now 
restored  to  life ;  a  child,  likewise,  of  the  prophet  had  been 
brought  back  from  the  grave ;  a  heavy  ear  of  the  finest 
self-grown  corn  had  been  exhibited  as  a  sample  of  the 
grain  which  the  earth  would  yield  spontaneously  after 
the  resurrection.  There  were  those  also  who  went  further, 
and  averred  that  they  had  actually  seen  the  risen  heroes 
emerge  from  the  Indian  Ocean,  some  on  foot,  others  on 
horseback,  pass  in  silent  parade  before  them,  and  then 
sink  once  more  amongst  the  tossings  of  the  restless 
waves. 

By  the  month  of  October  of  the  same  year  such  numbers 
of  cattle  had  been  already  slaughtered,  and  such  quantities 
of  corn  destroyed  among  the  Galekas,  that  hunger  began 
to  make  havoc  among  their  ranks.  When  the  time  fixed 
by  Mhlakaza  for  the  resurrection  to  take  place  passed,  and 
without  fulfilment,  he  ascribed  the  failure  to  the  dissatis- 
faction of  the  ancestors  with  the  doubters  and  unbelievers, 
who  had  not  killed  at  once,  or  slaughtered  in  sufiicient 
numbers.  For  six  months — from  new  moon  to  full  moon, 
and  from  full  moon  to  new  moon — he  fed  the  people  with 
the  hope  of  this  resurrection.  At  one  time,  when  the 
common  people  became  impatient,  the  false  prophet  said 
it  was  near  at  hand;  wonderful  sights  had  been  witnessed 
at  his  kraal,  and  hundreds  insisted  on  having  heard  their 
dead  chiefs  and  heroes  and  forefathers  rushing  through 


106  TIYO   SOGA. 

the  air  like  the  wild  chase  of  old,  while  others  main- 
tained they  had  seen  them  all  marshalled  in  battle  array. 
"  Before  the  event  takes  place,"  said  Mhlakaza,  "  you  will 
see  the  sun  rise  in  the  west,  in  mid  heaven  he  will  unite 
with  the  moon,  then  the  earth  will  be  enveloped  in  dense 
darkness,  the  heavens  will  rain  powder,  and  all  those 
who  have  not  obeyed  my  orders  will  have  their  houses 
consumed  with  fire." 

The  Gaika  Commissioner,  Mr.  Charles  Brownlee,  used 
every  effort  to  arrest  the  progress  of  this  mania,  by 
reminding  the  people  of  the  falsehoods  of  their  former 
prophets,  who  had  brought  misery  and  death  on  the  Kafir' 
race.  He  rode  day  after  day  through  the  Gaika  district 
to  endeavour  to  break  the  spell  of  this  delusion ;  but  they 
had  always  some  fresh  tale  to  tell  of  the  wonderful  things 
about  to  transpire :  the  white  men  would  be  transformed 
into  frogs  and  mice  and  ants  on  the  resurrection  morn,  and 
the  whole  colony  once  more  be  inhabited  by  Kafirs.  The 
one  answer  of  the  Commissioner  to  all  these  statements  was 
" Fa'pahade','  "Never;''  and  from  this  oft-repeated  word 
of  Mr.  Brownlee,  his  name  was  changed,  and  throughout 
the  district  which  he  ruled  and  beyond  it,  up  to  the  time 
he  left  the  Gaika  tribe,  he  was  most  widely  known  and 
saluted  as  a  chief  by  the  title  of  "  Napakade." 

Mrs.  Charles  Brownlee  furnishes  the  story  of  this  delu- 
sion as  follows: — "The  first  thing  I  remember  about  the 
matter  was  copying  an  official  letter  for  my  husband.  He 
had  been  to  Queenstown,  and  came  home  late  at  night. 
His  clerk  was  employed  in  superintending  the  construc- 
tion of  some  roads,  and  I  had  therefore  often  to  assist  in 
copying  work.  As  I  wrote  I  wondered,  and  at  last  went 
to  my  husband  and  said,  '  What  is  all  this  nonsense  ? 
Surely   you  are   not   going    to   send   such   a   report   to 


THE  CATTLE  KILLING   DELUSION.  107 

Government  ? '  '  This  is  no  foolish  story,"  he  replied  ;  *  and 
if  you  read  a  little  further  you  will  see  that  these  people 
are  beginning  to  destroy  their  property,  as  ordered  by  the 
prophet.  All  this,  I  fear,  is  a  deeply  laid  plot.'  'And 
will  they  all  kill  their  cattle,  do  you  think  ? '  I  enquired. 
'  I  fear  so,'  said  he;  '  and  not  only  that,  but  they  have  been 
told  to  empty  their  corn  pits,  as  the  prophet  promises  that 
they  will  be  miraculously  filled.  They  have  been  further 
told  not  to  cultivate.  They  will  most  likely  obey  in  every 
respect,  as  there  are  threats  of  utter  destruction  to  the 
unbelieving,  and  of  boundless  prosperity  to  those  who 
obey.'  '  And  then  ? '  I  said.  '  Then  there  will  either  be 
war,  or  you  will  see  men,  women,  and  children  dying  like 
dogs  about  your  door.  We  must  try  and  prevent  either 
contingency.'  I  felt  incredulous,  but  never  was  any  pre- 
diction more  literally  fulfilled.  The  following  letter  is  the 
one  referred  to,  and  it  will  give  you  a  better  idea  of  the 
state  of  matters  at  the  time  than  I  can : — 

'  DoEHNE,  ^8ih  June,  1856. 
'  Colonel  Maclean,  Chief  Commissioner, 

*  SlE, — I  have  the  honour  to  report  for  your  infor- 
mation that  I  have  just  received  the  following  statement 
from  two  trustworthy  sources : — That  it  is  currently 
believed  and  circulated  in  Kreli's  country  that  last  moon 
a  girl,  the  daughter  of  Mhlakaza,  a  councillor  of  Mzahelle, 
saw  some  strange  people  and  cattle  at  the  mouth  of  the 
Gxara  river;  that  she  reported  this  to  her  father,  who 
went  to  see  what  they  were.  He  was  directed  by  these 
people  to  return  to  his  kraal,  to  purify  himself  for  three 
days,  and  on  the  fourth  day  to  ofier  an  ox  in  sacrifice, 
and  then  to  return  to  the  strange  people.  Mhlakaza 
having  complied  with   the  directions  of  the   strangers, 


108  TIYO  SOGA. 

returned  on  the  fourth  day,  and  saw  a  number  of  black 
people,  among  whom  he  recognized  his  brother,  some 
years  dead.  He  was  told  by  these  people  that  they  had 
come  from  across  the  water ;  that  they  were  the  people 
who  had  been  fighting  against  the  English,  against  whom 
they  would  wage  perpetual  warfare ;  that  they  had  now 
come  to  aid  the  Kafirs,  but  before  anything  could  be  done 
for  them,  they  were  to  put  away  witchcraft ;  and  as  they 
would  have  an  abundance  of  cattle,  those  now  in  posses- 
sion were  to  be  destroyed.  Mhlakaza  was  then  appointed 
as  the  only  medium  of  communication  with  these  people, 
and  he  has  sent  to  the  Kafir  chiefs  to  acquaint  them  with 
what  he  had  seen.  My  informant  states  that  this  story  is 
firmly  believed  among  the  Galekas;  and  one  who  has  only 
returned  to-day  from  Kreli's  country,  informs  me  that  on 
arriving  at  the  kraal  of  Qwabe,  one  of  Buku's  *  sons,  he 
found  two  oxen  killed  on  the  same  day.  On  enquiring 
the  cause  from  Qwabe,  he  was  informed  that  it  was  done 
in  compliance  with  the  order  given  by  Mhlakaza,  and  that 
it  was  Qwabe's  intention  to  continue  killing  his  cattle. 
Qwabe  farther  told  my  informant  that  Xossni,  Buku's 
chief  son,  who  was  then  at  Buku's  kraal,  had  sent  direc- 
tions that  cattle  should  be  sacrificed  for  all  his  wives  who 
had  small  children,  and  that  on  his  return  home  he  would 
kill  cattle  according  to  the  order  given  by  Mhlakaza.  My 
informant  was  likewise  told  b}^  Qwabe,  that  Kreli  had 
sent  to  his  brother  Dema  to  make  inquiries  respecting 
the  strange  people,  that  Dema  had  gone  to  Mhlakaza, 
who  assured  him  of  the  truth  of  the  report,  stating  that 
at  that  time  the  men  were  absent  on  an  expedition  against 
the  colony.     Xoxo,  a  brother  of  Kreli,  is  said  also  to  be 

*  Buku  was  Kreli's  uncle,  second  to  Kreli  in  the  tribe,  Buku  and  his 
sons  having  direct  control  under  Kreli  of  a  large  section  of  the  Galekas. 


THE   CATTLE   KILLING   DELUSION.  109 

convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  report,  and  is  represented 
as  killing  his  cattle.  Kreli's  views  on  the  matter  are  not 
known ;  but  Mhlakaza's  statement  is  generally  believed 
by  the  Galekas,  who  are  slaughtering  their  cattle  to  a 
great  extent,  encouraged  by  the  example  of  Mhlakaza, 
who  is  killing  his  cattle,  and  who  is  looked  upon  very 
much  as  Mlanjeni  was. 

*  Mhala's  people,*  from  the  Nahoon  to  the  sea,  and  from 
thence  to  the  Kei,  are  represented  as  being  in  a  very 
unsettled  state.  They  are  said  to  have  visited  Mhlakaza 
in  great  numbers,  and  are  killing  their  cattle.  In  con- 
nection with  this,  and  that  which  gives  the  case  a  more 
serious  aspect,  is  the  fact  that  Kreli  has  within  the  last 
five  days  sent  to  inform  Sandilli  that  while  you  were 
across  the  Kei,  you  demanded  from  him  the  late  Cape 
Corps  deserters  and  six  of  the  leaders  of  the  rebel  Hot- 
tentots, among  whom  you  named  William  Uithalder  and 
Rhenardus  Paarl.  This  Kreli  professes  to  believe  to  be 
seeking  a  cause  of  quarrel,  and  this  misrepresentation  of 
your  demand  for  the  delivery  of  the  late  deserters  has 
been  generally  circulated  among  the  Gaikas  and  Galekas. 
The  effect  of  this  report,  in  connection  with  the  belief  in 
the  statements  of  Mhlakaza,  has  been  to  cause  great 
excitement  in  the  midst  of  the  Galekas ;  and  under  these 
circumstances  we  may  expect  to  hear  of  violence  and 
robbery  committed  on  British  subjects.  The  reports  of 
April  and  May  caused  me  no  uneasiness  whatever ;  but 
these  are  of  a  much  more  serious  nature,  from  the  fact  of 
their  being  received  by  so  many  chiefs  and  influential 
people.  Evil-disposed  persons  will  perpetrate  outrages, 
though  not  authorized  by  the  chiefs,  and  a  collision  may 
end  in  serious  results.     Should  a  collision  be  avoided  the 

*  A  branch  of  the  Gaika  tribe. 


110  TIYO   SOGA. 

storm  may  soon  blow  over.  The  utmost  precaution  will 
be  necessary  by  travellers ;  for  under  the  present  circum- 
stances I  do  not  think  any  solitary  or  unprotected  traveller 
is  safe,  and  it  would  be  well  for  traders  and  others  who 
cross  the  Kei  to  travel  under  the  protection  of  some  influ- 
ential Kafir.  I  cannot  say  that  the  sons  of  Buku  and 
other  chiefs  really  believe  what  they  profess  to  believe. 
If  not,  it  is  evident  they  are  only  adding  weight  to  the 
statements  of  Mhlakaza,  and  are  bent  upon  evil ;  but  if 
they  are  deceived,  the  imposture  will  soon  be  discovered, 
and  the  discovery  will  work  its  own  cure.  The  chief  cause 
of  fear  is,  that  acts  of  violence  by  private  and  unauthorized 
persons  may  bring  on  a  crisis,  which  might  otherwise  have 
been  averted.  It  would  not  be  advisable  on  the  part  of 
the  Government  to  take  any  direct  steps  in  putting  down 
this  state  of  things ;  any  active  measures  would  only  tend 
to  strengthen  the  influence  of  the  evil-disposed.  All  that 
I  think  is  necessar}?-  would  be  distinctly  to  intimate  to  the 
chiefs  that  we  are  aware  of  what  is  going  on,  and  that  so 
long  as  it  was  confined  to  words  we  would  not  interfere, 
but  that  the  lives  and  property  of  British  subjects  must 
be  protected,  and  that  we  would  be  prepared  to  meet  any 
aggressive  movement  on  the  part  of  the  Kafirs.  I  feel 
strongly  persuaded  that  the  murder  of  Mr.  Rainer,  the 
robbery  and  assault  at  the  Gonubie,  and  the  robbery  at 
the  Kobongo  church  mission  station  may  be  ascribed  to 
the  causes  above  assigned.  I  do  not  think  it  would  be 
advisable  to  use  any  haste  or  show  of  force  in  the  settle- 
ment of  these  cases ;  but  a  decided  message  to  the  chiefs 
to  whom  these  cases  might  be  traced,  and  an  assurance 
that  they  will  not  be  passed  over  unpunished,  may  have 
the  eflfect  of  putting  a  stop  to  further  violence,  and  the 
cases  ma}"  be  eftcctually  worked  out  when  the  excitement 


THE   CATTLE   KILLING   DELUSION.  Ill 

has  somewhat  abated  or  passed  over.  I  have  sent  to  the 
chiefs  in  my  district  to  inform  them  of  the  late  robbery 
and  murder,  and  have  directed  them  to  be  more  vigilant 
than  ever  in  suppressing  crime,  and  to  beware  of  the 
dangers  into  which  they  may  fall  by  listening  to  false 
reports.  I  have  not  thought  it  advisable  yet  to  refer 
pointedly  to  the  statements  of  MhJakaza,  and  I  am  glad 
to  say  that  up  to  this  time  they  have  not  been  favour- 
ably received  by  the  Gaikas,  who  have  not  yet  begun 
to  slaughter  their  cattle.  I  will  be  among  them  and  at 
Sandilli's  kraal  for  the  most  of  next  week,  and  will  use 
every  endeavour  to  counteract  the  false  reports  now  so 

industriously  circulated 

'  With  regard  to  Kreli's  statement  respecting  your 
demand  for  the  delivery  of  the  rebel  Hottentots,  I  have 
sent  to  Sandilli,  to  say  that  I  have  heard  from  yourself 
that  you  made  no  such  demand ;  that  the  [demand  was 
simply  for  men  who  had  deserted  during  peace,  and  who 
are  known  to  be  in  Kreli's  country,  in  just  the  same 
manner  as  Kreli  and  other  chiefs  have  often  sent  to  you, 
and  to  me,  for  the  recovery  of  stolen  horses  and  for  the 
delivery  of  the  thieves,  which  had  always  been  complied 
with  when  in  our  power;  and  that  the  statement  that 
you  had  demanded  the  rebel  leaders  was  either  a  mistake 
or  a  wilful  misrepresentation.  I  have  also  sent  to  Kreli 
to  give  him  the  same  information.  On  the'^return  of  my 
messenger  from  Kreli,  and  on  my  ascertaining  his  temper 
and  the  state  of  affairs,  I  will,  if  you  think  it  advisable, 
pay  him  a  friendly  visit.  I  do  not  think  it  would  be 
necessary  for  me  to  be  the  bearer  of  any  message ;  but  I 
could  explain  matters  to  him  in  a  friendly  manner,  which 
would  perhaps  have  a  better  effect  than  taking  a  direct 
communication  either  from  His  Excellency  or  yourself 


112  TIYO   SOGA.  • 

"  On  the  Monday  after  this  letter  was  dispatched,"  adds 
Mrs.  Brownlee,  "  My  husband  went  out  to  the  Gaika 
location,  and  remained  with  the  people  till  the  end  of 
the  week.  This  he  did  to  strengthen  by  his  presence 
and  advice  those  who  had  resisted  the  delusion,  and  to 
hold  back  the  timid  and  the  wavering,  among  whom 
were  Sandilli  and  many  others  who  waited  on  his  word. 
Sandilli,  his  brother  Anta,  and  one  or  two  others  of  the 
Gaika  chiefs  had  thus  been  detached  from  the  influence  of 
Kreli ;  but  the  rest  of  the  Gaikas,  and  many  other  tribes 
in  British  Kaffraria,  were  destroying  their  cattle  and  corn. 
Reports  were  in  circulation  of  armies  reviewing  on  the 
sea ;  others  sailing  m  umbrellas ;  thousands  of  cattle  were 
heard  knocking  their  horns  together  and  bellowing  in 
caverns,  impatient  to  rise,  only  waiting  until  all  their 
fellows  who  still  walked  the  earth  were  slain ;  dead  men, 
years  in  the  grave,  had  been  seen,  who  sent  pathetic 
appeals  to  their  kindred  not  to  delay  their  coming  back 
to  life  by  refusing  to  obey  the  prophet.  Then  cattle  were 
killed.  Feasting  was  the  order  of  the  day;  but  it  was 
utterly  impossible  to  consume  all.  Dogs  were  gorged  on 
fat  beef;  vultures  were  surfeited;  whole  carcases  were  left 
to  putrefy  on  the  ground,  until  the  air  was  tainted  with  the 
corruption.  The  sale  of  cattle  was  prohibited ;  and  when 
any  were  suspected  of  doing  so,  they  were  closely  watched, 
and  their  cattle  were  taken  from  them  and  destroyed.  In 
some  cases  avarice  contended  with  ftiith,  present  posses- 
sion was  stronger  than  the  hope  of  future  gain,  and  many 
took  their  cattle  to  a  place  of  security  by  night.  But  even 
when  they  managed  to  elude  the  vigilance  of  the  fanatics, 
the  prices  obtained  for  their  stock  hardly  paid  for  the 
risk  and  trouble.  Peace  hung  by  such  a  slender  thread, 
and  war  was  so  imminent,  that  purchasers  would  not  give 


THE   CATTLE   KILLING   DELUSION.  113 

more  than  five  shillings  for  a  cow,  and  sixpence  for  a  goat. 
At  the  beginning  of  the  delusion  my  husband,  foreseeing 
that  a  starving  people  would  soon  be  on  our  hands,  made 
arrangements  for  purchasing  as  much  grain  as  could  be 
obtained.  Though  much  was  cast  away,  it  was  difficult 
to  induce  the  deluded  people  to  carry  to  market  what 
they  were  wantonly  destroying;  but  he  succeeded  in 
purchasing  for  Government  about  1000  bags  of  grain  at 
from  OS.  to  10s.  per  bag.  It  is  impossible  to  describe  how 
deeply  grateful  we  were  in  after  days  for  this  store,  as 
corn  during  the  famine  rose  to  £2  and. £3  per  bag,  and 
even  at  these  prices  it  was  difficult  to  secure  it. 

"  The  chief  Anta,  half-brother  to  Makoma  and  Sandilli, 
took  a  firm  stand  against  the  delusion,  and  other  leading 
men  of  the  Gaikas  also  resisted  it  to  the  utmost  of  their 
power.  Among  these  was  Go,  with  his  ready  wit  and  fear- 
less heart ;  old  Soga,  with  his  fiery  eloquence ;  Nxokwana, 
of  high  rank,  a  councillor,  and  brother-in-law  to  Sandilli ; 
and  last,  but  not  least,  Tyala — grand  old  Tyala — who, 
for  nobility  of  character,  for  rectitude,  wisdom  and  dig- 
nity, had  not  his  equal  in  the  tribe.  These,  backed  by 
"  Napakade,"  for  months  kept  back  in  a  great  measure 
poor,  weak,  wavering  Sandilli.  As  long  as  these  were  by 
his  side  he  had  courage ;  but  whenever  they  left  him  he 
was  surrounded  by  evil  councillors,  among  whom  were 
his  brother  Dundas — a  regular  firebrand — and  Sutu,  his 
mother,  who  worked  upon  his  feelings  and  fears,  and 
generally  succeeded  in  inducing  him  to  kill  some  cattle. 
His  mother  said,  'It  is  all  very  well  for  you,  Sandilli; 
you  have  your  wives  and  children:  but  I  am  solitary;  I 
am  longing  to  see  my  husband,  and  you  are  keeping  him 
from  rising  and  me  from  beinor  restored  to  all  the  fresh- 
ness  and  the  vigour  of  a  blooming  maiden.'      Sandilli 

H 


114  TIYO   SOGA. 

wished  to  keep  in  with  both  parties,  and  thought  that  by 
destroying  part  of  his  property  he  would  be  saved  by  the 
skin  of  his  teeth  from  the  judgments  that  would  overtake 
all  unbelievers. 

"After  the  delusion  had  been  at  work  for  ten  months, 
an  order  came  from  the  prophetess  that  within  eight  days' 
time  all  cattle  must  be  killed.  It  was  a  week  of  painful 
excitement  and  anxiety.  I  feared  for  my  husband's  life, 
as  many  of  the  evil  disposed  were  very  bitter  against  him. 
from  believing  that  he  had  influenced  Sandilli  to  save 
the  cattle.  The  eighth  day  came,  on  which  the  heaven 
and  the  earth  were  to  come  together,  amid  darkness, 
thunder,  lightning,  rain,  and  a  mighty  wind,  by  which 
the  '  Amagogotya/  or  unbelievers,  together  with  the  white 
man,  would  be  driven  into  the  sea.  What  preparations 
had  the  believers  been  making  during  those  eight  days ! 
The  cattle  kraals  were  enlarged,  the  corn  pits  cleaned  and 
also  enlarged,  and  huts  re-thatched  to  resist  the  storm. 
At  the  dawning  of  the  great  day,  a  nation,  many  of  whom 
had  doubtless  not  slept,  rose  joyfully,  decked  themselves 
with  paint,  chains,  and  rings  innumerable  to  welcome 
their  lono^  lost  friends.  One  of  the  saddest  sights  was 
that  of  old  women,  wizened  by  age  and  doubly  wrinkled 
by  hunger,  decked  out  with  the  brass  rings  jingling  on 
their  withered  arms  and  legs.  The  sun  made  the  circuit 
of  the  heavens,  closely  watched  by  expectant  hosts,  and 
set,  leaving  the  earth  in  darkness,  and  black  disappoint- 
ment in  the  hearts  of  thousands.  The  crafty  prophetess 
placed  the  whole  blame  of  the  failure  on  those  Gaikas  who 
had  not  killed  their  cattle.  My  husband  felt  the  crisis 
had  passed;  for  those  tribes  who  first  destroyed  their 
cattle  were  hungry  and  dispirited.  The  back  of  the  plot 
was  broken ;  the  simultaneous  action  of  the  tribes  had 


THE   CATTLE    KILLING  DELUSION.  115 

been  thwarted,  and  war  was  no  longer  imminent.  I  should 
have  mentioned  that  Mr.  Brownlee  had  removed  Sandilli 
from  his  own  kraal  to  one  a  few  miles  from  our  residence, 
to  have  him  among  the  well-disposed,  and  away  from 
evil  councillors.  Soon  after  the  disappointing  eighth  day, 
Mr.  Brownlee  visited  Sandilli,  and  found  quite  a  change 
in  his  behaviour.  Instead  of  being  frank  and  communica- 
tive as  heretofore,  he  was  reserved  and  sullen.  On  being 
asked  for  the  reason,  he  said  that  he  wanted  to  go  back 
to  his  own  place;  his  wives  were  not  comfortable;  the 
huts  were  small  and  cold.  Mr.  Brownlee  felt  something 
was  wrong,*  so  he  said,  '  Well,  Sandilli,  I  cannot  prevent 
your  going ;  but  if  you  take  my  advice,  you  will  remain 
where  you  are.'  That  night  Sandilli  fled  in  the  rain  with 
his  wives  and  children  back  to  his  former  abode,  killed 
all  his  cattle,  and  ordered  all  his  tribe  to  do  likewise. 
Those  who  had  resisted  the  delusion  disobeyed  the  order, 
and  on  the  following  day  there  was  almost  a  fight  between 
the  '  Amatamba,'  the  believers,  and  the  '  Amagogotya,'  the 
unbelievers.  Mr.  Brownlee  found  about  five  hundred  of 
the  latter  sitting  on  a  height,  and  about  the  same  number 
of  the  Tambas  at  Sandilli's  kraal  fully  armed  and  greatly 
excited.  '  We  want  to  fight,'  said  the  Amagogotya,  '  and 
rescue  our  chief  from  those  evil  men.'  'Fiofhtino^  will  not 
do/  said  Mr.  Brownlee.  Then  addressing  Sandilli's  party, 
said,  '  Who  is  it  that  comes  like  a  wild  cat  at  night,  and 
pours  evil  counsel  into  the  ears  of  the  chief?'  *Do  you 
call  me  a  wild  cat  ? '  answered  Mlunguze,  an  intrepid, 
reckless  man.     '  I  did  not  call  you  a  wild  cat,  Mlunguze. 

*  Mr.  Brownlee  found  the  cause  of  Sandilli's  flight  was  a  message  he 
had  received  from  Makoma  to  the  effect  that  he  had  seen  Senga  and 
Baziya,  two  councillors  who  had  died  seren  years  before,  who  had  told 
him  to  send  and  warn  Sandilli  to  rise  from  the  dust  and  save  himself. 


116  TIYO   SOGA. 

Does  your  conscience  accuse  you?  And  are  you,  then, 
that  evil  spirit  who  is  leading  your  chief  astray  to  his 
destruction  and  that  of  the  tribe  1  Beware,  Mlunguze ; 
you  will  have  good  cause  bitterly  to  repent  this  ! '  Baba, 
an  old  councillor  said,  *  Why  cannot  you  leave  us  alone  ? 
You  say  we  will  starve.  If  we  so  choose,  what  is  that  to 
you  ?  Let  us  starve ;  when  we  are  hungry,  as  you  say 
we  will  be,  hunger  will  testify  against  us  ! '  '  Baba,'  said 
Mr.  Brownlee,  '  I  will  write  down  your  words  in  my  book, 
and  I  will  remind  you  of  them  when  hunger  testifies 
against  you.'  *  Soga  then  remarked :  '  I  do  not  blame 
Sandilli ;  he  is  a  child  (meaning  mentally) ;  but  with  his 
councillors  who  gave  him  bad  counsel  rests  the  guilt.' 
'  No  ! '  said  Tyala,  with  stentorian  voice.  '  No  !  Sandilli 
is  no  child;  he  is  a  man.  He  ought  to  have  been  the 
leader  and  saviour  of  his  tribe!  He  is  the  culprit;  put 
the  rope  round  his  neck  ! '  '  Traitor,'  shouted  Mlunguze, 
'  Dost  thou  denounce  our  chief  to  our  face  ?  Die,  traitor  ! ' 
With  these  words  he  sprang  to  his  feet  brandishing  an 
assegay.  Instantly  Mr.  Brownlee  placed  himself  between 
the  two  infuriated  men,  saying,  'Sit  down,  Tyala;  and 
you,  Mlunguze,  take  heed.'  Mr.  Brownlee  then  addressed 
Sandilli  at  some  length,  and  ended  with  these  words: 
'  I  have  done  with  you  now,  Sandilli ;  I  have  used  my 
utmost  endeavours  to  save  you,  but  you  have  rejected 
my  advice.     I  leave  you  to  those  whose  counsels  you 

*  Some  months  after  these  words  were  uttered,  Baba  sent  Neku  to 
tell  Mr.  Brownlee  that  he  was  there,  and  wished  to  speak  to  him.  Mr. 
Brownlee  said,  "Tell  Baba  I  said  my  say  to  him  long  ago;  now  I  have 
nothing  more  to  say  to  him."  However,  Baba  sat  at  the  gate  until  Mr. 
Brownlee  passed,  when  the  following  conversation  took  place:  "Are 
you  hungry,  Baba?"  "Yes,  I  am  renj  hungry!"  "Look  at  all  these 
people,  Baba,  who  are  also  very  hungry,  and  tell  me  what  you  think 
of  it  ?    This  is  your  work." 


THE  CATTLE  KILLING  DELUSION.  117 

have  followed.  And  you  Baba,  and  you  Mlunguze,  take 
care  of  this  child,  whom  you  have  deluded  to  his 
destruction.'  The  meeting  then  broke  up.  There  was 
much  weeping  that  day.  The  tears  were  not  those  of 
women  and  weaklings,  but  of  strong  and  grey-bearded 

"  The  work  of  destruction  commenced  afresh.     Cattle 
were  killed  ;  corn  was  scattered  to  the  wind ;  and  as  cul- 
tivation had  been  forbidden,  no  drearier  prospect  can  be 
imacrined.*     At  the  sowing   season    Mr.   Brownlee  sent 
GQO°to  Kreli,  hoping  that  the  finishing  stroke  might  yet 
be  averted.     The  chief  assured  Gqo  that  the  nature  of 
thino-s  was  to  be  changed.     Gqo  said  :  '  How  can  you  say 
all  things  are  to  be  changed?     Nature  has  not  changed. 
I  see  the  grass  sprouting,  the  trees  budding,  and  even 
there,  on  that  refuse  heap,  pumpkin  seeds  thrown  out  are 
growing;  all  this  assures  me  there  will  be  no  change.'    His 
remonstrance  was  vain.     Matters  became  very  hot  for  the 
Amao-oo-otya;  their  lives  and  property  were  threatened, 
and  their  crops  destroyed  by  the  'Tambas.     Mr.  Brownlee 
directed  them  to  concentrate,  which  they  did.    They  were 
attacked,  and  some  were  killed,  whereupon  they  fled  to 
Mr.  Brownlee  for  protection,  who  permitted  them  to  go 
into  the  Reserve,  and  remain  till  danger  was  over." 

To  this  tale  of  a  nation's  self-destruction,  the  Bev.  A. 
Kropf,  General  Superintendent  of  the  Berlin  Missions,  fur- 
nishes some  additional  incidents:-"  One  of  Mr.  Brownlee  s 
police,  a  heathen,  when  sent  with  a  message  to  Kreli,  said 
to  his  councillors:  'God  lives  there  above.  When  you 
speak  of  Him,  you  invariably  point  upwards;  but  now  you 
expect  a  miracle  to  come  from  beneath,  which  will  there- 
*  The  reason  given  for  forbidding  cultivation  was  that  corn  would 
grow  of  itself,  and  cultivation  would  prevent  the  wonders  taking  place. 


118  TIYO   SOGA. 

fore  not  come  from  God,  but  from  the  Devil.  Does  God 
ask  your  help  if  He  wishes  to  make  thunder,  or  lightning, 
or  rain,  or  when  He  causes  a  man  to  die  ?  Does  He  wish 
your  cattle  to  perform  a  miracle  ?  If  the  wonder  you 
expect  were  of  God,  do  you  think  that  such  preparations 
as  cattle  killing  were  necessary  ?  You  say  that  great 
changes  will  come  over  the  world.  How  is  it,  then,  that 
there  are  no  signs  of  them  ?  The  trees  have  leaves  of  the 
same  kind  as  last  year,  and  your  mealies  and  Kafir  corn 
are  sprouting  as  in- former  years.  Will  God  not  change 
these  also,  if  He  wishes  to  chano^e  all  other  things  ? '  The 
mother  of  Kreli  having  heard  these  words,  told  him  to  go 
to  her  son  and  repeat  them  to  him ;  but  Kreli  refused  to 
listen  to  such  arguments.  Another  Kafir  gave  witness  on 
Christmas  day  before  a  large  meeting  of  Kafirs,  by  saying, 
*  I  tell  you,  you  are  deceived.  Though  you  may  kill  me 
for  my  words,  I  can  only  die  once.'  The  Gaika  councillors, 
Soga  and  Tyala,  did  their  utmost  to  prevent  their  chief, 
Sandilli,  and  his  tribe  from  pursuing  the  suicidal  policy, 
but  in  vain.  They  were  obliged  to  flee  for  their  lives, 
with  their  people,  in  all  fourteen  kraals,  and  took  refuge 
on  the  Bethel  mission  lands  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the 
Ddehne  post,  where  also  the  Gaika  Commissioner  resided. 
They  were  regular  attenders  at  church ;  and  one  Sunday, 
when  the  sermon  for  the  day  was  from  2  Peter  ii.,  Soga 
the  councillor  rose  and  said :  '  I  am  hot  and  convinced  by 
the  words  we  have  heard,  that  Mhlakaza  is  a  well  without 
water,  a  cloud  that  is  carried  away  with  a  tempest.  I  do 
not  believe  in  the  lies  of  Mhlakaza ;  and  I  wish  that  this 
word  may  be  heard  by  all  Katirs,  and  that  they  may 
acknowledge  their  folly.  Missionaries,  sow  ye  broadcast 
this  seed,  so  that  it  may  reach  the  heart  of  my  chief 
Sandilli.' 


THE   CATTLE   KILLING   DELUSION.  119 

"  The  period  of  this  mania  was  one  of  anxious  excite- 
ment. Hundreds  of  men  and  women  passed  daily  the 
Bethel  station  on  their  way  to  the  trader's  shop  to  sell 
the  skins  and  horns  of  the  slaughtered  cattle.  No  word 
esca])ed  the  lips  of  the  otherwise  talkative  Kafir,  but  it 
was  evident  that  his  heart  was  wounded  to  the  very 
quick.  When  missionaries  pointed  out  the  folly  of  their 
procedure,  and  asked  them  how  they  would  recognize 
their  cattle  when  they  rose  from  the  dead,  as  that  they 
sold  their  skins  and  horns ;  gnashing  of  teeth  and  eyes 
gleaming  with  wrath  were  the  only  answer. 

"  The  trader  at  the  Doehne  asserted  that  he  had  bought 
upwards  of  1000  skins  in  one  day.  Hundreds  of  goats 
were  daily  driven  past  the  mission  station  and  offered  for 
sale.  When  there  were  floating  rumours  of  a  Kafir  war, 
there  was  no  purchaser.  The  Kafirs  were  not  allowed  to 
take  them  home  after  being  exposed  for  sale,  and  so  they 
stabbed  them  and  left  the  carcases  to  rot  in  the  valley 
near  the  station.  The  prophet  gave  orders  that  the 
money  received  for  skins  should  be  spent  in  the  purchase 
of  sugar  and  coffee.  As  this  was  the  only  food  allowed, 
it  is  evident  that  the  object  was  to  reduce  them  to  the 
utmost  verge  of  starvation. 

"  When  Kreli  heard  that  the  Governor  was  concentrat- 
ing his  troops  in  British  Kaffraria  he  sent  to  Mhlakaza 
to  consult  the  oracle,  but  Mhlakaza  replied  that  the 
spirits  were  mute  and  refused  to  vouchsafe  an  answer 
to  the  unknown  messenger,  and  he  must  send  a  man  of 
undoubted  influence.  The  chief  sent  Ngxito,  who  had 
not  killed  his  cattle,  but  the  spirits  were  still  silent.  At 
last  Kreli,  attended  by  Buku  and  thousands  of  warriors, 
went  to  the  kraal  of  Mhlakaza  early  in  1857,  to  see  if  he 
could  not  elicit  a  reply  from  the  now  silent  spirits,  but 


120  TIYO   SOGA. 

Mhlakaza  was  nowhere  to  be  seen.  When  the  chief  was 
sorely  pressed  by  his  people,  and  the  whole  prophecy 
threatened  to  prove  a  bubble,  a  message  came  from  the 
false  prophet  that  their  ancestors  had  been  on  the  road, 
but  had  turned  back  on  hearing  that  several  chiefs  and 
councillors  had  not  yet  obeyed  their  commands.  '  If  you 
see  the  next  full  moon  rise  blood  red,  come  again  to  me,' 
said  the  deceiver,  '  for  this  will  be  the  sign  that  I  have 
found  favour  in  the  sight  of  the  spirits ;  if  not,  wait  till 
the  next  new  moon.' 

'•'  The  Galekas  began  to  realize  their  dreadful  position, 
and  looked  with  alarm  into  the  future ;  but  the  Gaikas 
rushed  headlonor  into  the  mania,  and  killed  with  eagjerness 
their  few  remaining  cattle.  The  land  stank  from  carrion, 
and  the  vultures  were  unable  to  finish  the  carcases.  By 
the  end  of  January,  1857,  upwards  of  40,000  head  of 
cattle  were  said  to  have  been  killed. 

"  The  full  moon  rose  blood-red,  and  on  the  8th  of 
February  Kreli  appeared  again  at  Mhlakaza's  attended 
by  18  councillors  and  5000  warriors.  The  latter  were 
afraid  to  approach  the  prophet's  village  from  not  having 
fully  complied  with  his  orders.  Kreli  went  alone  to 
Mhlakaza  and  held  a  secret  interview  with  him.  On 
returning,  he  told  his  attendants  that  he  had  witnessed 
strange  sights  and  heard  strange  sounds,  as  of  people 
underground  talking  and  wrestling  to  be  released  from 
their  bondage.  They  were  commanded  to  enter  now 
upon  the  very  last  act  of  this  dark  tragedy, — one  short 
scene  more  and  then  would  burst  upon  them  the  mar- 
vellous transformation.  Only  one  cow  and  one  goat  were 
to  be  left  to  each  family;  all  the  rest  must  be  put  to  death, 
and  within  eight  days  after  the  chief's  return.  If  they 
obeyed,  then  the  resurrection  of  cattle  and  ancestors  would 


THE   CATTLE   KILLING   DELUSION.  121 

take  place  on  the  eighth  day  after  the  chief  reached  his 
home.  On  that  day  the  sun  would  rise  later  than  usual ; 
when  it  reached  mid  heaven  it  would  become  blood-red, 
then  suddenly  set  where  it  rose,  and  there  would  follow 
a  great  storm,  with  thunder,  lightning,  and  darkness. 
These  tidings  so  definite  roused  the  flagging  enthusiasm 
of  the  Galekas,  and  with  fresh  vigour  they  commenced  to 
destroy  their  remaining  cattle,  hoping  that  in  a  few  days 
they  would  rejoice  in  the  company  of  their  old  chiefs, 
warriors,  and  friends.  They  threw  away  their  last  grain 
of  corn,  and  were  cheered  with  the  thought  that  soon  all 
white  men  would  be  banished  from  their  land.  Great 
preparations  were  made  for  this  great  and  notable  day. 
With  lightning  speed  the  tidings  flashed  over  the  whole 
of  Kafirdom;  the  believers  stabbed  their  cattle  to  the  very 
last  one,  and  left  the  carcase  as  food  for  vultures  and  wild 
dogs ;  immense  corn  pits  were  dug  in  the  various  cattle- 
pens,  and  were  left  open  to  be  filled  by  the  unseen  spirits; 
the  huts  were  covered  with  new  grass,  firmly  tied,  so 
that  they  might  not  be  carried  away  by  the  expected 
hurricane ;  all  around  the  huts  the  grass  was  cleared,  and 
a  space  clean  swept,  so  that  when  the  terrible  day  dawned 
and  the  hot  sun  poured  down  his  burning  rays  the  various 
reptiles,  which  are  the  source  of  so  much  witchcraft  and 
mortality,  would  be  scorched  to  death  as  they  tried  to 
creep  into  the  huts.  The  doors  of  the  huts  were  reduced 
in  size,  so  that  wolves  and  baboons  and  elephants,  which 
are  the  cause  of  so  much  sorcery,  would  fail  to  get  a  shel- 
ter, and  be  killed  in  the  act  of  seeking  an  entrance.  On 
the  seventh  day  the  various  families  crept  into  their  huts 
and  remained  there — none  daring  to  venture  abroad. 
Amid  breathless  expectancy  the  weary  hours  passed  with 
nothing  to  disturb  the  stillness,  save  the  weary  wail  of 


122  TIYO  SOGA. 

some  weak  starving  infant.  The  cattle  kraal  was  empty. 
As  the  long  dreary  night  wore  on  apace  stealthy  glances 
were  cast  towards  the  eastern  horizon,  to  catch  the  first 
faint  dawn  of  the  resurrection-morn.  At  last  the  sun  rose, 
on  the  eighth  day  after  the  chief's  return,  the  18th  day  of 
February,  1857,  not  later  than  usual,  pursued  his  accus- 
tomed course  without  pause  or  deviation,  and  set  at  the 
time  noted  in  the  calendar.  No  change  whatever  was  dis- 
cernible ;  the  orb  of  day  was  no  larger,  nor  slower  in  its 
progress;  it  stood  not  in  mid-heaven,  neither  did  it  go 
backward.  It  was  a  bitter  disappointment ;  but  probably 
there  might  have  been  some  mistake,  and  all  hope  now 
centred  on  the  ninth  day.  There  was  no  sleep  to  their 
eyes.  It  was  a  dreary,  anxious  watch.  They  had  obeyed 
the  command  to  the  very  letter.  There  was  nothing  more 
to  destroy  in  cattle  or  grain.  Through  all  that  night  they 
longed  and  yearned  for  the  bright  resurrection-morn.  The 
morning  of  the  19th  of  February  dawned,  and  still  the 
promised  liberty  came  not;  nor  were  the  long-expected 
blessings  given." 

The  point  was  now  reached  in  the  deeply-laid  plot,  so 
cunningly  calculated  by  its  originators.  Upwards  of 
100,000  wild  Kafirs — stung  by  the  bitter  pangs  of  hunger 
and  the  deeper  pangs  of  disappointment,  driven  to  despair, 
poverty-stricken,  their  cattle  recklessly  killed  and  nothing 
found  in  their  stead — were  now  ready,  like  a  pack  of 
hungry  wolves,  to  commit  all  possible  mischief  It  was 
unsafe  to  travel.  Thieving  and  roving  commenced,  and 
only  under  escort  could  waggons  proceed  on  their  journey. 
The  victims  of  the  deception  began  to  despoil  those  who 
had  neither  killed  their  cattle  nor  destroyed  their  grain. 
Bloodshed,  plunder,  and  confusion  prevailed.  It  seemed 
as  if  the  Colony  would  soon  be  embroiled  in  another  war. 


THE   CATTLE   KILLING   DELUSION.  123 

On  15th  March,  1857,  reports  the  Gaika  Commissioner, 
"The  utmost  confusion  reigns  throughout  the  country, 
parties  large  and  small  infest  the  land,  and  are  stealing 
cattle  and  committing  murders  on  the  owners  of  cattle, 
wherever  they  are  able.  Last  week  I  heard  of  31  Kafirs 
being  killed,  either  in  defending  or  in  taking  cattle." 

The  prompt  measures  of  the  Governor  to  banish  all 
found  with  weapons  in  hand,  and  to  shoot  down  all 
thieves  on  attempting  to  escape,  had  a  wholesome  effect 
in  crushing  any  outbreak.  At  this  critical  time  the  "  Ger- 
man legion"  arrived  in  British  Kaffraria,  and  despite  their 
many  faults  and  failings  their  mere  presence  kept  the 
Kafirs  in  awe.  After  a  few  thieves  had  been  shot  down, 
the  people  saw  that  resistance  was  useless.  Thousands  of 
them  now  became  willing  to  go  with  their  families  and 
seek  service  with  the  farmers,  or  become  dispersed  among 
the  Tambookies  and  Fingoes. 

Despite  the  cruel  disappointment  which  followed  the 
19th  of  February,  Mhlakaza  was  able  to  keep  up  his  repu- 
tation for  some  months  longer  by  the  subterfuge  that  the 
resurrection  had  been  delayed  by  two  chiefs  underneath 
the  ground,  who  had  been  quarrelling  as  to  which  of 
them,  on  account  of  his  rank,  had  the  prior  claim  to  rise 
first.  When  the  attempt  was  made  to  revive  the  delu- 
sion, Sandilli  showed  his  fickleness  and  vacillation  by 
destroying  his  cattle,  which  he  had  repeatedly  assured 
Mr.  Brownlee  he  would  not  kill.  It  is  said,  however,  that 
he  was  led  to  take  this  step  by  Makoma  and  Mhala,  who 
upbraided  him  for  deserting  them  and  being  the  cause  of 
the  non-fulfilment  of  the  predictions.  On  the  28th  of 
May  writes  the  Gaika  Commissioner:  "  The  Kafirs  are  now 
everywhere  preparing  to  receive  the  cattle  which  are  to 
rise  ;  their  corn-floors  and  pits  are  cleaned  to  receive  the 


124  TIYO   SOGA. 

grain."  The  predictions  were  unfulfilled  ;  the  open- 
mouthed  pits  gaped  in  vain,  and  the  kraals  enfolded  no 
cattle.  Never  were  people  more  tenacious  of  their  belief 
in  what  is  false  and  destructive. 

By  the  end  of  June  the  people  began  in  great  num- 
bers to  leave  their  kraals,  where  they  had  lingered  for 
many  weeks  in  patient  expectation.  In  Kreli's  country 
especially  the  suffering  was  great ;  the  people  were  so 
emaciated  that  many  perished  by  the  way  on  their  search 
for  help.  On  the  28th  of  July,  1857,  writes  the  Gaika 
Commissioner  :  "  Want  amongst  those  who  have  destroyed 
their  cattle  has  reached  the  highest  pitch ;  many  have 
arrived  here  in  the  utmost  stage  of  wretchedness  and 
emaciation,  and  are  so  reduced  as  to  be  unable  to  travel 
into  the  Colony  for  service.  I  have  thus  had  to  feed 
them,  until  they  became  somewhat  stronger.  Five 
have  died  here  since  their  arrival.  I  have  heard  of 
numbers  who  have  perished  by  the  way.  Last  week, 
during  a  tour  throughout  the  country,  I  found  very 
wretched  objects  at  their  kraals."  The  Rev.  A.  Kropf 
adds  another  touch  to  this  sorrowful  picture  of  misery : 
"  We  shall  never  forget  the  frightful  sight  which  presented 
itself  to  us  of  a  little  class  of  Galekas,  who,  from  hunger, 
could  move  no  further  than  the  kloof  near  the  Bethel  Sta- 
tion. They  were  so  emaciated  that  they  resembled  apes 
rather  than  human  beings.  They  picked  up  the  bones 
which  had  been  bleaching  for  years  in  the  sun,  and  tried 
by  cooking  to  extricate  a  little  nourishment  from  them. 
There  were  more  than  40  children  in  this  group  ;  some 
were  no  longer  able  to  stand,  others  could  not  open  their 
mouths,  and  those  that  could  only  uttered  the  pitiful  cry, 
'  I  die  !  I  die  !'  After  one  cold  night  we  found  23  corpses, 
mostly  of  children,  in  this  kloof,  lying  between  the  stones. 


THE  CATTLE   KILLING  DELUSION.  125 

We  saw  dead  bodies  of  young  men  being  gnawed  by  their 
dogs,  and  dead  mothers  with  children  still  sucking  the 
cold  lifeless  breasts.  Young  men  of  20  years  of  age  had 
lost  their  voice  from  hunger,  and  chirped  like  little  birds ; 
and  often  it  happened  that,  after  they  had  received  their 
portion  they  cast  a  wistful  glance  at  the  food,  then  dropped 
down  dead  at  our  feet.  No  pen  is  able  to  describe  the 
misery.  The  house  of  the  Gaika  Commissioner  was 
besieged  day  and  night  by  hundreds  of  Kafirs,  mere 
skeletons,  to  get  a  little  food.  If  any  one  in  those  days 
was  the  good  Samaritan,  and  fulfilled  to  the  letter  the 
lano-uao-e  of  Matt.  xxv.  35,  it  was  the  wife  of  the  Gaika 
Commissioner,  who  did  everything  in  her  power,  until  her 
own  health  at  length  failed,  for  these  poor  starvelings,  who 
were  reaping  the  fruits  of  their  own  infatuation." 

Mrs.  Brownlee,  to  complete  this  dreadful  tale  of  suffer- 
ing, gives  the  following  pathetic  scenes,  with  all  a  woman's 
tenderness,  which  must  have  lacerated  all  the  finest  feel- 
ings of  her  nature  : — "  And  now  the  final  step  was  taken ; 
a  dreadful  pause  ensued,  and  all  intercourse  between 
the  people  ceased.  Those  who  had  destroyed  their  cattle 
sat  at  their  village  with  the  silence  of  a  desperate 
hope,  waiting  the  fulfilment  of  the  prophecy.  Every 
morning  the  corn-pits  and  kraals  were  eagerly  inspected, 
and  hope  sickened  but  was  not  quenched.  The  moon  was 
anxiously  watched  by  night;  and  the  sun  by  day,  by 
hunger-stricken  hosts.  The  bones  which  they  had  cast 
away  in  the  days  of  feasting  were  gathered  and  gnawed. 
Women  and  children  wandered  through  the  fields  to  dig 
for  roots.  One  would  have  thought  all  hope  would  now 
be  extinguished ;  but  still  they  clung  to  it.  Messengers 
were  sent  to  tell  them  that  they  could  obtain  food  at  the 
towns,  and  would  be  provided  for  on  their  way  to  tlie 


126  TIYO   SOGA. 

Colony  to  get  work,  wages,  and  food ;  but  it  was  not  till 
many  deaths  had  taken  place  that  they  began  to  move. 
By  this  delay  the}^  were  so  reduced  that  many  died  by 
the  way.  One  poor  old  man  was  found  dead,  with  his 
head  overhanging  his  corn-pit ;  he  had  gone  with  his  last 
breath  to  look  if  it  had  not  yet  been  filled,  and  falling 
never  rose  again.  Those  who  reached  us  were  most  piti- 
able figures,  breathing  skeletons,  with  hollow  eyes  and 
parched  lips.  As  for  the  poor  innocent  children,  it  was 
heart-breaking  to  look  upon  them,  as  they  resembled  aged 
men  and  women  in  miniature.  Daily,  as  these  spectres 
came  in  crowds  and  crawled  along,  one  might  have 
imagined  that  the  prophet's  prediction  had  come  to  pass, 
and  that  the  dead  had  indeed  risen  from  their  graves.  I 
shall  never  forget  the  first  corpse  I  saw.  It  was  that  of 
an  old  woman,  who  had  come  within  a  few  yards  of  our 
house  and  dropped  down  in  sight  of  help.  It  made  one's 
blood  run  cold,  that  a  fellow-creature  should  thus  die, 
when  with  a  few  steps  more  she  could  obtain  a  mouthful 
of  food.  How  common  that  sight  afterwards  became  !  On 
one  day  eight  corpses  were  carried  out  from  our  premises. 
On  the  same  day  18  out  of  a  party  of  36,  on  their  way  to 
King  William's  Town,  died  on  the  journey,  and  a  great 
many  more  across  the  Cumakala  stream.  My  late  dear 
brother,  Hugh,  was  sitting  on  one  of  those  boulders  across 
the  river,  noting  the  number  of  dead  bodies  he  had 
counted,  and  on  looking  down  he  saw  the  corpse  of  a  little 
child  at  his  feet,  lying  in  the  long  grass.  What  a  tale  of 
sufiering  that  little  one  could  have  told  as  it  wandered 
about  crying  for  food,  and  with  no  mother's  gentle  hand 
to  close  its  eyes  in  death !  All  that  day  my  brother 
superintended  the  burial  of  the  dead.  One  girl  was  being 
carried  to  a  hastily-dug  grave,  when  he  discovered  that 


THE   CATTLE   KILLING   DELUSION.  127 

life  was  not  quite  extinct,  and  that  her  pulse  beat  feebly ; 
remedies  were  applied,  and  she  revived  and  lived  to  go 
into  the  Colony.  The  recollection  of  that  fearful  time, 
after  the  lapse  of  well  nigh  20  years,  makes  me  sick.  The 
first  sound  in  the  morning  and  the  last  at  night  was  the 
pitiful  endless  cry  for  food.  Among  the  dying  multitudes 
there  were  the  deformed,  the  maimed,  and  those  afflicted 
with  dire  diseases ;  but  these  sad  specimens  of  humanity 
had,  until  lately,  been  strong,  active,  and  healthy. 

"  We  had  instruction  to  get,  on  account  of  Government, 
whatever  was  required.  Corn  and  meat  were  daily  dis- 
pensed to  all  comers ;  and  soup  and  sago,  &c.,  to  the  sick 
and  little  ones.  Hundreds  came  too  late,  only  to  get  one 
meal  and  die  ;  others  were  too  far  gone  to  relish  the  dain- 
tiest fare;  and  others  were  so  voracious  that  they  went 
about  picking  up  anything  and  everything  they  could  put 
into  their  mouths,  and  brought  on  disease  after  they  had 
been  rescued  from  famine.  Hunger  made  them  exceed- 
ingly selfish.  Mothers  snatched  bread  from  their  children. 
The  strong  tried  to  take  the  bread  from  the  helpless.  Pri- 
vate charity  was  largely  exercised  everywhere.  The  black 
man  found  that  the  white  man  had  a  kind  heart.  One 
lady  near  us  took  three  children — one  of  them  an  infant 
a  few  days  old.  It  was  really  charming  to  see  this  lady's 
little  dauorhters  nursinsj  and  fondling  the  small  dark 
object  dressed  in  snow-white  robes.  This  little  black 
baby  and  its  pretty  English  nurses  are  now  in  heaven. 

"  I  might  multiply  incidents  of  this  sad  weary  time.  I 
would  only  add,  that  this  wholesale  destruction  of  cattle  is 
more  wonderful  when  we  remember  that  a  Kafir  loves  his 
oxen  as  an  Arab  loves  his  steed.  Mr.  Brownlee  estimates 
that  30,000  Kafirs  entered  the  Colony  and  obtained  work ; 
above  20,000  died;  and  at  least  150,000  cattle  were  killed/ 


128  TIYO   SOGA. 

The  curtain  drops  upon  this  act  of  self-destruction  with 
the  spectacle  of  a  once  proud,  haughty  nation  crushed  and 
crippled,  starving  and  begging,  with  thousands  of  human 
skeletons  wan  and  weary  creeping  onwards,  inch  by  inch, 
to  the  Colony,  where  food  could  be  found  ;  the  highways 
strewn  with  corpses,  the  towns  and  villages  of  the  Colony 
overrun  by  hungering  and  dying  men,  women  and  chil- 
*dren.  Alone  stood  the  haughty  Kreli,  clinging  tenaciously 
to  the  belief  that  the  day  of  resurrection  would  dawn. 
His  nation  was  wrecked,  ruined,  scattered,  and  he  remained 
firm  in  his  belief  The  act  had  been  played  out,  and  the 
prophecies  of  Mhlakaza  proved  as  false  and  deceptive  as 
the  mocking  mirage,  which  made  many  on  the  very  point 
of  death  cling  to  the  hope  that  all  was  not  hopelessly  lost. 
On  the  20th  of  October,  1857,  the  Gaika  Commissioner 
writes  :  "  From  the  Butterworth  drift  to  the  Thomas  River, 
all  the  country  for  fifteen  miles  on  either  side  of  the  Kei 
is  now  uninhabited,  with  the  exception  of  a  kraal  here 
and  there  containing  a  few  individuals,  who  cannot  long 
continue  to  drag  on  the  miserable  existence  they  now 
lead.  My  tour  on  the  Kei  was  shortened  by  the  failure 
of  provisions,  caused  by  sharing  them  with  the  people 
whom  I  found  by  the  way,  and  whom  it  was  not  in  our 
power  to  aid." 

The  Government  and  the  colonists  nobly  stepped  for- 
ward to  the  rescue.  Soup  kitchens  were  established  in 
the  various  towns,  and  willing  workers  were  ready  to 
render  a  helping  hand.  The  utmost  care  had  to  be  exer- 
cised in  feeding  people  who  for  days  had  not  tasted  a 
morsel  of  food,  for  if  they  were  allowed  to  partake  of  a 
hearty  meal  they  fell  down  lifeless,  as  if  a  bullet  had 
passed  through  their  heart.  The  very  nation,  whose 
destruction  was  secretly  sought  by  this  perfidious  tragedy, 


THE  CATTLE  KILLING  DELUSION.  129 

became  the  saviour  of  many  thousands  of  Kafirs.  The 
whole  nation  would  have  been  broken  up  for  ever  had  not 
the  colonists  supplied  the  famishing  with  food  and  raiment 
and  shelter.  Our  common  Christianity  prompts  to  the 
exercise  of  beneficence  even  towards  a  fallen  foe ;  and  a 
powerful  illustration  is  given  in  the  unwearied  offices  of 
the  Christian  lady  whose  graphic  pen  has  narrated  this 
tale  of  sorrow.  Of  all  others  she  had  the  greatest  reason 
to  steel  her  heart  against  the  cry  of  the  helpless  Kafirs ; 
as  her  two  brothers  had  been  wounded  in  the  war  of  1850  ; 
her  husband  had  suffered  from  a  cruel  gash  inflicted  by  an 
assegay  ;  and  her  husband's  brother,  one  of  the  gentlest  of 
men,  was  mercilessly  butchered  whilst  doing  an  unselfish 
act.  Yet  this  Christian  lady, and  many  others  besides,  buried 
all  feelings  of  anger  or  revenge  when  the  Kafir  nation 
was  reduced  to  beggary.  The  injunction  of  Scripture 
was  observed  everywhere.  The  enemy,  when  hungering, 
was  fed ;  and  from  the  thirsty,  water  was  not  withheld. 

Tiyo  Soga  landed  at  Algoa  Bay  on  the  2nd  of  July, 
1857,  and  found  that  those  to  whom  he  had  come  to 
preach  the  Gospel  were  a  dispersed  nation,  utterly  des- 
troyed by  their  own  folly.  The  tidings  greeted  him  on 
his  arrival,  that  the  Galekas  and  his  own  Gaika  tribe 
were  ruined,  scattered,  famishing ;  and  that  was  enough 
to  unnerve  any  man.  The  nation  that  clung  with  such 
tenacity  to  a  lie,  and  demolished  its  dearest  idols  in  that 
belief,  and  so  readily  yielded  up  present  possessions  in  the 
hope  of  future  good,  has  surely  the  capacity  of  being 
taught  to  trust  in  Him  who  is  the  resurrection  and  the 
life.  Tiyo  Soga  resolved,  in  these  saddening  circum- 
stances, to  teach  his  scattered  countrymen  that  there  is  a 
resurrection,  in  which  all  will  participate,  who  look  to 
Jesus  as  "  the  Way,  and  the  Truth,  and  the  Life." 


CHAPTER    X. 

TITO'S   RETURN  TO   SOUTH   AFRICA  AS   AN   ORDAINED 
MISSIONARY. 

But  Thou,  O  Lord, 
Aid  all  this  foolish  people ;  let  them  take 
Example,  pattern :  lead  them  to  Thy  light. 

TiYO  Soga's  diary  of  his  voyage  in  the  Lady  of  the  Lake 
from  London  to  Algoa  Bay  is  too  lengthy  to  find  a  place 
here.  It  pleasantly  describes  the  monotonous  life  in  a 
sailing  vessel.  It  sparkles  here  and  there  with  humour, 
and  reveals  his  tenderness  of  heart.  As  seated  by  the 
bedside  of  an  old  man  prostrated  by  disease,  he  tells  us 
that  "  anything  more  humble,  more  calm  and  cheerful 
under  the  pressing  infirmities  of  three  score  years  and  ten 
I  have  yet  to  see." 

One  passage,  illustrative  of  his  caution,  and  prophetic 
of  the  line  of  action  he  would  adopt  in  his  future  labours, 
well  merits  transcription : — "  We  are  sometimes  treated  at 
dinner  by  a  Colonial  gentleman  on  board  to  a  few  round 
shots  against  missionaries  in  South  Africa,  and  the  result 
of  their  labours.  On  these  occasions,  although  I  might 
return  the  fire,  and  feel  very  strongly  tempted  to  do  so,  I 
deem  it  advisable  to  maintain  strict  silence,  unless  it  be 
in  the  way  of  correcting  a  mistake.  My  reasons  for  this 
are  two :  the  first  is,  that  as  this  individual,  judging  from 
his  own  remarks,  has  no  sympathy  with  missions,  there  is 
nothing  more  likely  than  that  in  the  heat  of  debate  I 


TIYO'S   RETURN   TO    SOUTH   AFRICA.  131 

might  unguardedly  drop  remarks  which  may  be  repro- 
duced and  perpetuated  in  the  Colony  to  the  prejudice  of 
myself,  and  of  the  cause  with  which  we  are  identified. 
The  other  reason  is,  that  missionaries  (more  especially 
those  belonging  to  our  Society  and  to  the  London  Mission- 
ary Society)  being  generally  considered  by  the  Colonists 
unsound  upon  the  question  of  native  rights,  these  random 
shots  may  be  thrown  out  as  feelers  to  ascertain  the  ten- 
dency of  our  own  opinions  upon  the  point.  Now  if  these 
be  in  opposition  to  those  of  our  friend,  we  may  find  them 
some  day  reproduced,  and  in  all  probability  largely  supple- 
mented in  one  of  the  hostile  Colonial  newspapers.  Politics 
are  the  rock  upon  which  missionaries  are  in  danger  of 
making  shipwreck  of  themselves;  and  we  cannot,  I  think, 
keep  far  enough  from  said  rock.  If  we  live,  time  will 
develop  our  sentiments  on  these  contested  points;  and 
prudence,  I  think,  demands  that  at  least  we  should  at  the 
commencement  of  our  missionary  career  keep  them  to 
ourselves." 

From  this  point  Tiyo  Soga,  to  a  great  extent,  becomes 
his  own  biographer.  The  story  of  his  life  must  be  told 
very  much  in  his  own  words  and  in  his  letters.  There  is 
no  literary  display  about  them.  They  are  a  simple,  frank, 
unvarnished  statement  of  his  uneventful  life.  The  first, 
dated  Algoa  Bay,  8rd  Jul}-,  1857,  describes  his  arrival  in 
his  native  land: — "We  arrived  here  last  night  after  a 
pleasant  and  most  agreeable  passage  of  73  days.  '  The 
Lord  hath  been  mindful  of  us.'  You  should  have  been 
with  us  this  day  to  witness  the  wonder  and  amazement 
with  which  a  black  man  with  a  white  lady  leaning  on 
his  arm  seemed  to  be  viewed  by  all  classes !  We  were 
'  a  spectacle  unto  all  men ! '  In  walking  through  the 
streets,  black  and  white  turned  to  stare  at  us,  and  this 


132  TIYO   SOGA. 

was  the  case  as  often  as  we  went  out.  It  seemed  to  some 
to  be  a  thing  which  they  had  not  only  never  seen,  but 
which  they  believed  impossible  to  take  place.  From  the 
remarks  of  some  of  my  countrymen  as  they  passed  us,  I 
at  once  understood  that  the  report  of  our  presence  has 
gone  far  and  wide.  The  day  has  really  been  one  of  the 
triumphs  of  principle.  Mrs.  S.  evinces  far  more  indiffer- 
ence to  these  prejudices  against  colour  than  I  can  do. 
My  rule  of  conduct  among  the  Colonists  is,  never  to 
force  myself  into  their  company.  I  had  an  opportunity 
of  vindicating  this  very  same  resolution  to-day.  Brother 
Johnston  and  I,  with  our  wives,  were  introduced  to  one 
of  the  ministers  of  this  place.  He  entered  into  conversa- 
tion with  me ;  but  at  first  it  seemed  somewhat  restrained. 
He  asked  us  to  tea  in  the  evening,  but  the  invitation 
seemed  addressed  to  brother  Johnston  and  his  good  lady. 
Knowing  the  prejudices  existing  in  the  Colony  against 
colour,  I  had  resolved  never  forcibly  to  break  through 
these  prejudices.  "VVe  accordingly  did  not  go  until  he  sent 
one  of  his  boys  to  explain  that  he  thought  we  had  under- 
stood the  invitation  as  also  including  us.  I  have  written 
this  only  with  the  view  of  showing  you  the  line  of  cautious 
policy  I  mean  to  pursue  in  my  first  intercourse  with  the 
people  of  this  land. 

"  Monday,  6th  July. — Yesterday  was  Sabbath.  It  is  a 
day  long  to  be  remembered.  I  preached  three  times.  In 
the  morning  and  afternoon  I  attempted  to  wield  my  rusty 
Kafir  sabre.  It  was  an  effort  in  the  morning.  I  did  not 
lack  matter,  nay,  I  may  rather  say  I  was  charged 
with  matter;  but  I  lacked  the  facility  of  giving  power 
and  expression  to  my  thoughts.  I  felt  very  much  in  the 
position  of  a  stout  man  who  was  striving  to  put  on  the 
clothes  of  another  much  smaller  than  himself.     In  the 


TIYO'S   RETURN   TO   SOUTH  AFRICA.  133 

afternoon  I  felt  the  bulk  so  much  diminished  as  to  be 
able  to  accommodate  myself  to  the  costume.  In  the 
evening  I  preached  in  the  Wesleyan  Chapel,  which  was 
crowded  to  excess.  On  Wednesday  next  I  preach  in  the 
Independent  Chapel  for  Mr.  Harsant.  You  are  aware 
that  something  more  than  colour  is  required  to  gain  a 
white  man's  respect.  I  may  say,  therefore,  without  any- 
thing like  vain  glory,  for  I  have  nothing  to  be  proud  of, 
that  my  poor  intellect  procures  respect  for  me.  It  has 
been  so  here  especially." 

The  Port  Elizabeth  Telegraph  of  the  9th  July,  1857, 
tells  its  readers  of  the  Kafir  preacher  occupying  the 
Wesleyan  pulpit,  and  does  so  in  the  following  terms : — 
"  For  one  hour  he  commanded  the  unmitigated  attention 
of  a  densely  packed,  highly  intellectual  congregation.  In 
this  person  may  be  seen  the  transcendent  operation  and 
effects  of  Christianity,  civilization,  and  science  trampling 
under  foot  every  opposing  prejudice  and  difficulty,  how- 
ever formidable  or  seemingly  insurmountable." 

From  Port  Elizabeth  he  proceeded  to  Glenthorn,  where 
laboured  the  Kev.  John  F.  Cumming, — at  that  time  the 
only  missionary  in  connection  with  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church.  On  his  way  thither  he  passed  through 
Grahamstown,  the  city  of  the  British  settlers  of  1820, 
rendered  famous  to  the  denomination  of  which  he  was  an 
agent,  inasmuch  as  one  of  its  deputies  to  the  mission  field 
narrowly  escaped  for  his  life  in  passing  through  it ;  but 
all  these  hostile  feelings  were  hushed  when  Tiyo  Soga 
first  entered  it  as  a  missionary.  His  reception  was  most 
cordial.  When  he  preached  in  Trinity  Church,  among 
his  auditory  was  the  Lieutenant  Governor  and  his  staff". 
This  distinguished  military  gentleman  was  so  pleased 
with  the  sermon  of  the  Kafir  that  he  turned  to  one  of 


134  TIYO   SOGA. 

his  attendants  at  the  close  of  the  service,  and  asked  why 
none  of  his  military  chaplains  could  preach  as  this  Kafir 
had  done?  whereupon  one  of  his  staff  naively  replied, 
"  Your  Excellency  the  sermon  is  a  borrowed  one  ! "  "  Oh 
indeed !  "  replied  his  Excellency,  "  then  that  makes  all  the 
difference  in  the  world." 

But  whilst  his  reception  from  the  Cape  Colonists  cheered 
and  nerved  him,  the  tidings  of  his  self-deluded  and  self- 
destroyed  countrymen  crushed  his  spirits,  and  deeply 
wounded  his  sensitive  nature,  as  the  following  letters 
show.  The  first  is  dated  from  Glenthorn,  7th  August, 
1857,  and  is  addressed  to  his  old  and  well-tried  friend, 
the  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson.  ''I  proceed  in  a  week  or  two 
with  Mr.  Gumming,  to  King  William's  Town,  to  rejoin 
Mr.  Johnston,  and  afterwards  we  make  our  entrance  into 
Kafirland.  As  we  have  not  yet  reached  our  final  destina- 
tion, I  shall  give  you,  in  this  letter,  some  account  of 
occurrences  in  the  colony,  connected  with  our  movements. 
I  may  premise,  by  telling  you,  that  the  arrival  of  no 
missionary  in  this  country  has  produced  such  excitement. 
I  will  allow  you  to  conjecture  the  principal  cause  of  that 
excitement.  I  am  glad  to  tell  you,  that  the  excitement 
has  been  of  a  favourable,  rather  than  of  an  inimical  nature. 
This  you  will  see  by  the  paper,  which  I  sent  you  some 
few  weeks  ago,  and  by  the  one  which  accompanies  this 
letter.  The  latter  is  the  great  oracle  of  the  eastern 
province  and  the  one  from  which  anything  unfavourable 
might  have  been  anticipated.  But  you  see  that  its  tone  is 
changed.  That  is  the  paper  which  generally  thundered 
against  the  Kafirs,  and  certain  missionaries  and  mission- 
ary institutions.  Times  are  now  changed.  Nothing 
indeed  could  have  more  exceeded  our  most  distant  antici- 
pations, than  our  reception   in   the   Colony.     Although 


TIYO'S   RETURN   TO    SOUTH   AFRICA.  135 

there  are  among  certain  classes  here,  strong  prejudices 
against  colour,  yet  my  reception  showed  me  that  these 
prejudices  are  not  so  much  against  the  mere  skin  as 
against  the  circumstances  and  the  character  of  those 
whose  complexion  I  bear.  The  Christian  public  in  Algoa 
Bay,  Uitenhage,  and  Grahamstown  held  out  the  right  hand 
of  fellowship.  In  Algoa  Bay  and  Grahamstown,  I  preached 
to  crowded  congregations.  In  both  places  the  most  influ- 
ential churches  are  the  Wesley  an  and  the  Independent. 
I  received  from  these  in  both  places  the  most  cordial 
invitations  to  preach  in  their  pulpits.  In  Uitenhage,  I 
preached  to  the  Wesleyan  and  the  Dutch  Reformed  con- 
gregations. I  know  you  will  be  glad  to  hear  all  this. 
Although  I  had  offended  no  man  in  the  Colony,  I  was 
not  without  fears  lest  the  enemies  of  the  black  man 
might  plan  and  plot  every  possible  means  of  annoyance. 
If  you  knew  the  state  of  feeling  towards  colour  in  this 
Colony,  you  would  understand  better  why  I  entertained 
such  fears,  and  why  I  refer  so  particularly  to  the  recep- 
tion I  met  with  from  the  ministers  and  people  of  those 
places  I  have  named.  I  have  often  said  to  Mrs.  S.,  and 
in  no  spirit  of  vain  glory,  that  in  this  land,  the  white  face 
of  Brother  Johnston  might  very  easily  have  admitted  him 
into  any  society  without  any  other  qualifications ;  but  the 
Scotch  education,  not  my  black  face,  has  been  my  passport 
into  places,  where  that  face  would  not  be  permitted  to 
enter.  Thanks  to  you  then,  my  Scotch  friends,  you  have 
under  God,  given  me  a  position  which  I  might  never  have 
attained ;  I  hope  that  grace  will  be  given  me  to  walk 
worthily  of  that  position. 

"You  will  not  be  surprised  to  hear  that  preaching 
under  the  circumstances  related  above,  was  more  trying 
to  me  than  in  Scotland.    There  I  was  sure  of  the  sympathy 


136  TIYO   SOGA. 

of  many;  here  I  could  calculate  only  on  the  sympathy  of 
few.  You  never  in  your  life  saw  more  intensely  attentive 
audiences  than  those  to  which  I  had  the  honour  of  preach- 
ing. I  have  no  doubt  that  some  came  with  the  object  of 
hearing  and  then  laughing  at  the  ridiculous  blunders  and 
nonsense  of  a  Kafir  preacher.  Such  thoughts  often  passed 
through  my  mind,  and  became  motives  to  courage  and 
boldness  of  speech.  There  are  times  when  the  very 
means  which  malice  and  prejudice  make  use  of  to  ensnare, 
annoy,  or  put  down  a  man,  become  sources  of  strength. 
When  I  preached  at  Algoa  Bay,  in  the  Wesleyan  chapel,  I 
was  twice  interrupted  by  a  voice,  whose  object  I  thought 
at  the  time  was  to  silence  me.  On  this  very  account  I 
felt  that  a  voice  never  would  succeed  in  putting  me  down, 
say  what  it  may.  I  was  glad,  however,  afterward  to 
learn  that  the  disturbance  occasioned  by  that  voice  was 
purely  accidental;  it  was  some  drunken  wretch  who  was 
struggling  to  give  himself  elbow  room,  amid  the  pressure 
of  the  crowded  house.  In  Algoa  Bay,  Uitenhage,  and 
Grahamstown,  I  had  also  opportunities  of  preaching  to  the 
Kafirs,  Fingoes,  and  Hottentots.  The  interest  and  excite- 
ment here  were  as  great  as  among  the  white  people.  Oh  ! 
the  wonder  and  astonishment  with  which  the}^  viewed  me ! 
You  should  have  witnessed  it  in  order  to  realize  it.  They 
are  all  staggered  at  the  distance  at  which  I  seem  to  stand 
from  them.  They  appear  most  of  them  never  to  have  even 
dreamed  that  such  positions  were  decreed  for  any  but  the 
white  man.  Others  again  could  not  contain  themselves 
for  joy  and  delight  at  what  they  saw.  When  we  arrived 
at  Algoa  Bay,  I  could  both  see  and  hear  that  at  first  they 
were  at  a  loss  to  discover  the  race  to  which  I  belonged. 
I  overheard  one  for  example  asking,  "  Of  what  race  can  he 
be  ? "     But  their  amazement  seemed  complete,  when  they 


TIYO'S   RETURN   TO   SOUTH   AFRICA.  137 

heard  me  using  that  very  language,  to  which  I  have  no 
doubt  they  would  think  that  I  was  a  stranger.  It  was 
really  amusing,  and  to  speak  the  truth,  sometimes  annoy- 
iner,  to  see  the  crowds  that  turned  out  to  stare  at  us,  in 
every  street  we  passed  in  Algoa  Bay.  Poor  Mrs.  S.,  had 
she  not  had  a  stout  heart,  would  scarcely  have  dared  to 
venture  out  in  any  of  the  towns,  in  which  we  have  been. 
In  the  coloured  people,  I  know  it  was  nothing  but  curious 
wonder  that  made  them  stare  so  much  at  us.  I  do  not 
know  what  may  have  been  the  predominant  feeling  among 
the  white  people.  I  would  not  be  surprised  if,  to  some, 
there  was  something  absurd  in  the  fact  of  a  black  man 
walking  side  by  side  with  a  white  lady. 

"  So  much  for  matters  connected  with  our  arrival  in  the 
Colony.  I  will  now  give  you  an  account  of  the  present 
state  of  Kafirland  and  the  Kafirs.  We  have  come  at  a 
most  critical  period  of  the  Kafir  nation.  You  will,  no 
doubt,  have  heard  of  that  awful  delusion,  by  which  the 
Kafirs  have  been  induced  to  slaughter  all  their  cattle,  and 
to  neglect  the  cultivation  of  their  gardens,  in  the  belief 
that  there  was  to  be  a  resurrection  of  such  cattle  as  in 
numbers  and  superiority  of  breed  were  never  known  and 
seen  in  Kafirland,  and  that  corn  would  likewise  spon- 
taneously spring  out  of  the  earth  in  such  abundance,  that 
there  would  be  no  room  to  contain  it.  My  poor  infatuated 
countrymen  are  now  most  bitterly  reaping  the  fruits  of 
having  been  the  dupes  of  designing  impostors.  The  rod 
by  which  they  are  now  being  chastised  has  been  wielded 
by  their  own  hand.  They  have  actually  committed 
national  suicide.  Oh !  the  misery  and  wretchedness,  now 
to  be  witnessed  in  Kafirland,  as  the  result  of  the  poor 
Kafirs  having  believed  a  lie,  baffle  description.  Famine 
has  almost  depopulated  the  land.     I  cannot  exactly  say 


138  TIYO   SOGA. 

the  rate  at  which  they  are  cl3dng  from  sheer  starvation  in 
KafirlaDd,  for  I  do  not  wish  to  exaggerate.  But  many 
have  died,  and  many  are  dying.  Thousands  have  taken 
refuge  in  the  Colony,  and  they  have  found  a  refuge  I  am 
happy  to  say;  for  even  their  greatest  enemies,  touched 
with  pity  at  the  sight  of  so  much  destitution,  have  held 
out  a  helping  hand,  thus  proving  that  men  are  generally 
better  than  their  theories.  Some  have  thrown  themselves 
among  the  native  tribes  beyond,  others  have  crossed  the 
Orange  river,  distant  from  Kafirland  I  think  two  or  three 
hundred  miles.  These  have  gone  to  the  Bechuanas,  to 
seek  means  of  subsistence.  The  proudest  people  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  have  been  compelled  by  the  severity  of 
the  present  distress,  to  do  things  at  which  they  would 
formerly  have  shuddered.  What  think  you  !  Parents  are 
said,  in  some  cases,  to  have  eaten  their  children.  Such  are 
the  reports,  that  come  from  Kafirland ;  and  it  is  difficult 
not  to  believe  that  such  things  have  taken  place.  On  our 
way  from  Algoa  Bay,  through  Grahamstown  to  this  place, 
we  met  with  scores  of  Kafirs  flocking  into  the  Colony, 
and  they  were  the  embodiments  of  extreme  misery  and 
suffering.  But,  oh !  the  sight  of  the  children  was  enough 
to  move  the  stoutest  heart.  When  they  stretched  out  their 
little  hands  to  receive  the  few  crusts  of  bread  I  could  spare 
for  them,  they  positively  looked  like  animated  skeletons. 
The  worst  of  all  this  is  yet  to  come,  and  will  not  the  good 
people  of  John  Street  come  to  the  aid  of  these  poor 
perishing  Kafirs  ?  They  are  now  pouring  into  mission 
stations  by  hundreds.  We  have  not  yet  commenced  a 
station ;  when  we  do,  we  are  sure  of  being  flooded  by  starv- 
ing men,  women,  and  children.  A  donation  of  £15  or  £20 
would  enable  me  in  some  small  measure  to  mitigate  the 
sufiering,  which  I  have  not  the  courage  to  encounter,  and 


TIYO'S   llETURN    TO   SOUTH   AFRICA.  139 

which  my  own  means  will  not  allow  me  to  do  much 
towards  relievins:.  Under  the  circumstances  which  I  have 
just  related,  the  continued  existence  of  the  Kafirs,  as  a 
nation,  has  become  problematical.  There  is  no  doubt  that 
many  of  those  who  have  left  Kafirland,  will  never  return. 
But  upon  those  who  may  return  after  they  have  recruited 
their  means  in  the  Colony,  and  in  other  places  whither 
they  have  fled  from  the  present  distress,  various  influences 
will  have  been  brought  to  bear,  tending  to  modify  their 
habits  and  customs  as  a  people.  You  are  aware  that  the 
attachment  of  the  Kafirs  to  their  chiefs  is  one  of  the  most 
prominent  features  of  their  national  character.  The  present 
distress  is  fast  dissolving  the  ties  that  bound  the  people  to 
their  chiefs.  I  fear  that  in  the  course  of  a  short  time,  the 
chiefs  will  have  nothing  but  the  name  of  that  authority, 
for  which  they  were  to  a  great  extent  indebted  to  the 
people  who  are  now  deserting  them  by  hundreds.  By 
some,  it  is  strongly  suspected  that  the  overthrow  of  the 
white  man  was  the  grand  ultimate  object  contemplated  at 
first  by  the  false  prophets,  in  those  predictions  which  have 
resulted  in  the  present  misery  and  suffering.  It  is  said 
that  the  prophets  were  the  instruments  and  tools  employed 
by  the  chiefs  to  work  out  a  deep  political  plot  against  the 
white  man.  The  far-reaching  policy,  say  those  who  have 
been  accustomed  to  disentanole  the  intricate  webs  of 
political  intrigue,  was  to  bring  about  a  distress  that  would 
compel  the  people  to  rise  up  in  a  mass  against  the  common 
foe.  What  foundation  there  is  for  such  a  conclusion  I 
have  yet  to  learn.  I  am  not  altogether  prepared  to  dispute 
the  fact  that  the  inveterate  enmity  of  the  chiefs  to  the 
white  man  may  induce  them  to  scheme  and  plan  his 
ultimate  ruin.  If  the  destruction  of  the  white  man  was 
originally  aimed  at  by  the  chiefs  in  the  predictions  of  the 


140  TIYO  SOGA. 

prophets,  how  miserably  they  have  failed  in  this  object ! 
The  blow,  aimed  at  the  foe,  has  recoiled  with  fearful 
violence  upon  themselves.  An  enemy  could  not  have 
humbled  the  Kafirs  more  eflfectually  than  has  been  done 
by  their  own  strange  infatuation.  By  giving  heed  to 
seducing  lies,  they  have  cut  off  their  own  arms.  The 
white  man  may  now  beat  his  '  swords  into  ploughshares/ 
and  his  '  spears  into  pruning  hooks/  so  far  at  least  as  those 
Kafirs  who  have  hitherto  been  at  war  with  him  are  con- 
cerned. The  liberality  of  the  British  Government  which 
has  granted  pensions  to  the  chiefs,  has  mainly  contributed 
to  keep  them  together.  I  know  of  no  tie  that  otherwise 
would  have  retained  them  in  Kafirland. 

"  And  now  you  will  say,  What  of  our  own  prospects  ? 
They  are  far  from  being  gloomy.  It  is  by  terrible  things 
that  God  sometimes  accomplishes  His  purposes.  In  the 
present  calamities  I  think  I  see  the  future  salvation  of 
my  countrymen,  both  in  a  physical  and  moral  point  of 
view.  The  destruction  of  their  cattle  will  make  them 
more  extensive  cultivators  of  the  soil  than  they  have  ever 
been.  Then  in  a  moral  point  of  view,  in  some  of  the  places 
into  which  many  have  fled,  they  will  no  doubt  be  brought 
under  the  influence  of  the  truth.  There  is  nothing  that 
softens  the  hardened  heart  so  much  as  affliction ;  and  I 
trust  that  this  affliction  will,  in  the  providence  of  God,  be 
productive  of  much  spiritual  benefit  to  the  Kafirs.  Then 
I  need  not  tell  you  that  the  multitudes,  who  are  flocking 
to  missionary  stations,  will  obtain  all  the  advantages  of 
such  institutions.  Our  object,  then,  is  to  push  on  just 
now  to  Kafirland  to  commence  the  work  of  building  a 
station.  Wherever  there  are  missionaries  Kafirs  will  come, 
and  desire  to  come  now.  Some  of  those  who  have  gone 
from  Kafiraria  will,  no  doubt,  after  they  have  improved 


TIYO'S   RETUllN    TO   SOUTH   AFRICA.  141 

their  circumstances,  return  to  their  own  land.  By  select- 
ing at  present  the  parts  likely  to  be  largely  populated 
in  Kaffraria,  we  are  sure  of  getting  those  who  return. 
Indeed,  all  things  considered,  the  prospects  of  all  missions 
in  Kafirland  were  never  better.  We  have  now  nothing  to 
fear  from  wars.  Let  the  present  storm  of  suffering  blow 
over,  and  Kafirland  will  be  gradually  filled  up  by,  I  trust, 
an  industrious  and  peaceable  population.  When  the  Kafirs 
have  re-sold  their  guns  to  the  white  men,  where  are  the 
probabilities  of  a  war  ?  There  could  be  none  at  any  rate 
at  present,  as  Kafirland  is  depopulated.  Think  of  us,  then  ! 
Think  of  poor  Kafirland ;  pity  the  misery — physical  and 
spiritual — of  her  sons !  Pray  for  the  speedy  arrival  of 
more  auspicious  times  ! " 

From  Glenthorn  Tiyo  Soga  proceeded  to  Peelton,  one 
of  the  stations  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  to  join 
Mr.  Johnston,  who  had  already  preceded  him.  The  one 
picture,  ever  present  to  him,  was  that  of  want  and 
wretchedness,  caused  by  the  belief  in  a  falsehood.  From 
Peelton,  September  2,  1857,  he  writes  to  the  late  John 
Henderson,  Esq.,  of  Park:  "  We  have  not  yet  entered  upon 
the  scene  of  our  future  labours.  Peelton,  where  we  now 
are,  is  the  threshold  to  it.  In  the  course  of  a  week  or  two, 
God  willing,  we  hope  to  be  there.  We  have  come  to  this 
land  at  a  most  critical  period  of  the  history  of  the  Kafir 
nation ;  events  are  now  transpiring  which  seem  to  pre- 
dict its  ultimate  dissolution.  ...  A  millennium  was 
predicted  for  Kafirland.  These  predictions  took  hold  of 
the  chiefs  and  great  men,  who  easily  influenced  their 
people.  With  the  infatuation  of  men  bewitched  they  pro- 
ceeded to  execute  the  doom  pronounced  upon  their  cattle. 
Cattle  are  the  Kafir's  capital.  In  other  circumstances 
he  would  have  sooner  cut  oflf  his  rioht  hand  tlian  have 


142  TIYO   SOGA. 

destroyed  one  single  head  of  cattle.  But  the  word  of  the 
prophet  seemed  to  have  been  truly  magical ;  kraals  were 
depopulated  as  if  a  mighty  torrent  sweeping  everything 
before  it  had  passed  over  them.  They  not  only  flung 
away  the  pick  and  the  spade,  the  instruments  of  agricul- 
ture with  Kafirs,  but  they  applied  the  faggot  to  their  corn 
stacks.  The  immediate  destruction  of  their  cattle  and 
grain  was  made  the  condition  upon  which  the  millennium 
was  depending. 

"  The  mania  extended  even  to  the  ornaments  about  the 
body.  These  the  poor  Kafirs  sold  by  thousands  to  the 
Fingoes  and  the  white  man.  Their  guns  and  assegays 
also  went  the  same  way.  It  will  astonish  you  to  hear 
that  so  great  was  the  faith  of  the  Kafirs  in  these  predic- 
tions that  widows  and  widowers  actually  sat,  day  after 
day,  beside  the  graves  of  their  husbands  and  wives.  The 
women,  who  had  married  a  second  time,  abandoned  their 
husbands  in  the  hope  of  rejoining  the  first.  Sutu,  the 
mother  of  Sandilli,  and  the  widow  of  Gaika,  the  great 
chief  of  the  Gaika  Kafirs,  who  died  thirty  years  ago,  for 
days  toiled  in  attempting  to  obliterate  her  wrinkles,  and 
to  put  herself  in  the  most  favourable  and  attractive  condi- 
tion for  meeting  with  Gaika.  Poor  old  foolish  woman  ! 
She  must  now  be  nearly  seventy  years  of  age ;  and  I  am 
sure  that  were  Gaika  to  rise  he  would  find  his  wife  a  per- 
fect fright.  Hunger  and  starvation  are  doing  their  fearful 
work  throughout  all  Kafirland.  The  like  has  never  been 
seen  here.  The  appalling  sights  are  making  our  hearts 
bleed.  It  was  only  yesterday  that  I  witnessed  a  sight 
which  must  remain  long  in  my  memory.  I  assisted  to  dig 
the  grave  of  a  Kafir  mother  and  two  young  children  who 
had  died  from  starvation.  Death  overtook  the  miserable 
creatures  about  half  a  mile  from  the  station.     It  appears, 


TIYO'S  KETURN   TO   SOUTH  AFRICA.  143 

from  the  position  in  which  we  found  them,  that  exhausted 
with  hunger  and  fatigue  the  mother  sat  down  and  com- 
posed herself  and  her  little  ones  to  sleep.    The  ample  Kafir 
kaross  was  placed  over  them  all.     The  younger  lay  near 
her  mother's  breast,  and  the  other  behind.     From  that 
sleep  they  never  awoke.    They  seem  to  have  died  in  sleep, 
as  there  were  no  indications  of  any  struggle.     Children 
are  coming  here  daily  in  scores  in  quest  of  food.      The 
most  of  them  are  so  weak  as  not  to  be  able  to  walk.    A 
boy  of  12  or  13  years  of  age  was  brought  here,  two  nights 
ago,  in  a  state  of  insensibility.    On  looking  at  him  I  could 
only  wonder  at  the  tenacity  of  human  life ;  so  thoroughly 
gone  did  he  appear  that  we  became  apprehensive  of  his 
ultimate  recovery.    However,  food  and  clothing  are  work- 
ing wonders  on  him.    Among  the  persons  who  came  to-day 
to  the  mission-house  were  two  women,  the  wives  of  a 
Kafir  who,  to  escape  death,  had  committed  the  unnatural 
act  of  deserting  his  own  children.     He  fled  some  time  ago 
to  the  Colony,  and  left  his  wives  with  five  children  to 
shift  for  themselves.     Four  of  the  children  died  on  the 
road  to  this  place,  and  the  surviving  infant  was  so  weak 
that  when  they  tried  to  make  him  stand  he  sank  down 
from  exhaustion.      It  was  truly  aflfecting   to   see  these 
miserable  objects ;  and  amid  so  much  suflfering  one  could 
not  help  admiring  the  attachment  which  the  two  women 
manifested  towards  each  other.   Where  polygamy  prevails, 
it  is  rare  to  see  among  the  wives  of  one  husband  anything 
like  genuine  affection.      But  these  poor  young  creatures 
formed  an  exception  to  the  rule.     At  the  Emgwali,  where 
we  expect  to  go,  we  shall  be  inundated  by  scores  of  starv- 
ing human  beings.     The  worst  is  yet  to  come.     During 
the  eight  months  between  this  and  harvest  there  must  be 
a  time  of  dreadful  suffering  to  the  poor  Kafirs.     There 


144  TIYO  SOGA. 

are  many  of  them  anxious  to  sow,  but  are  so  reduced 
physically  that  they  are  unable  to  do  much  in  the  way  of 
cultivation." 

To  Mrs.  R.  A.  Bogue,  of  Glasgow,  he  furnishes  a  few 
incidents  illustrative  of  this  tale  of  misery  and  want : 
"  Near  Fort  Beaufort,  an  English  town,  the  police,  who  are 
always  in  search  of  cattle-lifters,  one  day  descried  smoke 
issuing  from  a  woody  kloof  or  ravine.  They  therefore  set 
out  to  ascertain  by  whom  and  on  what  account  this 
strange  fire  had  been  kindled.  They  were  not  far  from 
the  place  when  three  women  came  out  from  the  ravine  and 
entreated  them  not  to  approach,  for  they  might  witness 
a  revolting  sight.  This,  of  course,  was  an  argument 
to  the  police  to  press  forward.  When  they  came  to  the 
place  they  saw  the  heads  of  three  children  whose  bodies 
had  been  devoured  by  their  own  parents  to  appease  the 
cravings  of  hunger.  Here  is  another  case,  about  the  vera- 
city of  which  there  is  not  the  slightest  doubt.  A  husband 
and  wife,  with  a  child,  were  making  their  way  for  the 
Colony,  to  escape  from  the  scene  of  suffering.  The  man 
had  been  carrying  the  child  on  his  shoulders,  which  either 
must  have  been  too  young,  or  too  weak  from  hunger,  to  be 
able  to  walk.  The  man  gradually  slackened  his  pace, 
until  the  woman,  who  was  leading  the  way,  lost  sight  of 
him.  In  vain  she  waited  for  him  to  overtake  her.  At 
last  she  returned  and  found  that  he  had  decapitated  the 
child,  and  was  roasting  one  of  the  arms  on  a  fire  which  he 
had  just  kindled.  Frantic  with  grief,  and  not  knowing 
what  she  was  doing,  she  inflicted  a  mortal  blow  on  the 
wretched  man's  neck  with  an  axe  ;  and  there,  father  and 
child  lay  lifeless  at  her  feet.  On  our  journey  hither  we 
met  crowds  of  men,  women,  and  children  proceeding  to 
the  Colony  to  seek  for  means  of  subsistence.     One  day,  in 


TIYOS   RETURN    TO   SOUTH   AFRICA.  145 

a  place  where  we  halted  to  rest  our  weary  oxen,  we  had 
an  opportunity  for  the  first  time  of  seeing  for  ourselves  a 
sight  of  which  we  had  hitherto  only  heard.  There  we  saw 
little  children  with  heads  which  seemed  too  large  and  too 
heavy  for  their  bodies,  and  with  arms  and  legs  tliin  and 
attenuated  like  straws.  The  sight  deeply  affected  us.  As 
the  parents  had  resolved  to  spend  the  night  among  the 
bushes  near  to  where  we  had  outspanned,  I  went  up  to 
speak  to  them,  and  at  the  same  time  carried  a  few 
crusts  of  bread  for  the  children.  Having  learned  the 
particulars  of  their  story,  I  told  them  that  I  had  brought 
a  few  bits  of  bread  for  the  children.  They  clapped  their 
hands  at  such  unexpected  kindness.  At  the  sight  of  the 
bread  the  children  were  quite  impatient.  As  one  of  the 
mothers  became  the  dispenser  of  the  valued  boon,  it  was 
both  amusing  and  painful  to  see  how  interested  they  all 
were  in  the  process  of  distribution.  Who  was  to  get  the 
largest  share  seemed  a  point  of  much  importance  with- 
them.  One  little  girl  especially  amused  me.  Observing  that 
the  mother  was  about  to  break  off  a  second  bit  from  the 
piece  which  was  evidently  designed  for  her,  she  exclaimed 
in  despair,  "  Oh,  are  you  really  breaking  it  ofi*  again  ?" 
whereupon  the  mother  inculcated  the  duty  of  being 
contented  with  the  smallest  thing  in  these  hard  times. 
I  am  sometimes  disposed  to  say  that  the  grown-up  people 
are  well  chastised  for  their  infatuation;  but  who  can  think 
of  the  suffering  innocent  little  ones  without  deploring  their 
misery,  and  as  reaping  the  fruits  of  that  which  they  had 
no  hand  in  sowinof  ? " 

To  the  Rev.  Henry  Miller,  now  of  Hammersmith, 
London,  he  writes  on  the  same  sad  story : — "  Kafirland 
is  nearly  devoid  of  the  interest  which  it  once  possessed. 
For  the  most  part  it  has  been  emptied  of  the  inhabitants 


140  TIYO   SOGA. 

concerning  whom  missionaries  were  wont  to  write  such 
tales  of  wonder.  I  never  really  knew  that  superstition  had 
so  potent  an  influence  over  the  human  mind  until  I  saw 
the  havoc  which  it  made  among  my  wretched  countrymen. 
You  have  often  heard  people  speaking  of  the  noble  Kafir  ! 
If  the  Kafirs  now  are  noble,  they  are  noble  fools,  and  that 
seems  a  contradiction  of  terms.  Mhlakaza,  the  man  whose 
memory  the  Kafirs  will  ever  execrate  for  making  them 
wretched  and  destitute,  is  no  more !  What  a  miserable 
end  was  his !  He  fell  a  victim  to  that  famine  which  he 
brought  upon  his  race.  Out  of  twent}^  persons  at  his  kraal, 
only  two  escaped  death.  These  were  the  prophetess  who 
communicated  the  revelations  from  the  other  Avorld  to 
Mhlakaza,  her  father  (or  more  strictly  speaking  her  uncle), 
and  one  of  Mhlakaza's  sons.  The  girl  is  now  a  prisoner 
near  King  William's  Town ;  the  son  is  not  far  from  this 
place.  It  is  said  that  when  Mhlakaza  was  dying  he 
accused  and  upbraided  Kreli,  the  head  of  the  Kafir  tribes, 
for  having  made  him  a  tool  to  work  out,  as  the  result  of 
his  predictions,  the  ultimate  destruction  of  the  white  man. 
If  this  was  the  intention  of  the  Kafir  chief,  how  miserably 
it  has  failed !  Kreli  himself,  a  few  weeks  ago,  was  well 
nigh  captured  by  a  force  sent  out  against  him.  The  policy 
of  the  Government,  now  that  the  Kafirs  have  fallen,  is  to 
apprehend  the  chiefs  and  transport  them.  This,  however, 
has  as  yet  been  done  only  in  the  case  of  those  chiefs  against 
whom  charges  of  a  criminal  kind  have  been  preferred  and 
proved.  The  results  of  this  huge  superstition  of  the  Kafirs 
are  felt  to  this  moment;  and  it  is  impossible  not  to  refer 
to  them,  when  scarcely  a  day  passes  without  seeing  many 
victims.  Last  Saturday  a  mother  and  two  children  found 
their  way  to  this  place  (the  Mgwali)  from  the  Kei  River, 
about  fifteen  miles  distant.     They  carried  on  their  heads 


147 

bundles  of  the  water  lily  stalks.  This  plant  has  always 
been  the  refuge  of  the  Kafirs  in  famine.  I  remember 
having  partaken  of  it  during  a  season  of  scarcity,  when  I 
lived  with  my  grand-parents  near  King  William's  Town. 
I  was  a  mere  child  at  that  time,  and  King  William's  Town 
had  then  no  existence.  The  Kafirs  boil  it,  and  when  ready 
it  is  not  unlike  (in  appearance  only),  but  by  no  means  in 
taste,  to  your  stewed  rhubarb.  When  I  asked  one  of  our 
elders  if  it  was  good  for  food,  he  said  that  although  it 
supported  life  it  did  not  give  strength.  The  bundles  of  it 
carried  by  these  creatures  were  not  very  large,  yet  when 
they  laid  them  down  it  was  with  difiiculty  they  could 
aoain  lift  them.  The  tale  of  the  woman  was :  her  husband 
died  last  winter  of  famine,  and  not  long  ago  three  of  her 
relatives.  She  remained  at  her  kraal  some  time  after 
their  death,  supporting  herseK  and  her  children  by  the 
lily  stalks,  the  roots  of  trees,  and  wild  beans.  We  have 
given  them  temporary  shelter,  and  fed  them.  As  soon  as 
they  have  gathered  strength,  they  will  pass  on." 

'  It  was  shortly  after  his  arrival  in  the  Colony,  and  before 
he  had  entered  on  his  special  work,  that  the  following 
incident  occurred,  which  he  has  described  himself  in  a 
letter  to  the  Kev.  T.  C.  Finlayson :  "  The  prejudices  here 
against  colour,  which  I  anticipated,  gave  way  on  my  arrival 
in  a  most  remarkable  manner,  so  far  as  I  am  personally 
concerned.  Still,  I  have  found  that,  only  in  Britain,  the 
black  man  is  admitted  to  be  as  capable  of  mental  and 
moral  improvement  as  the  white  man.  In  this  colony,  as 
in  America,  by  a  strange  perversion  of  logic,  some  men 
seem  to  argue  in  this  way  in  relation  to  the  black  man : 
'  Dark  in  face,  therefore  dark  in  mind.'  As  an  instance  of 
Colonial  prejudice,  take  the  following : — I  was  requested 
by  the  minister  of  a  certain  village  to  supply  his  pulpit 


148  TIYO    SOGA. 

as  he  had  to  leave  for  a  distant  part  of  the  Colony.  Early 
on  the  Sabbath  morning  I  rode  down  to  the  village,  and 
was  received  with  much  kindness  by  the  minister's  wife 
and  brother.  Before  the  first  service  commenced,  a  man 
belonging  to  the  village  called  at  the  parsonage  and  asked 
if  the  minister  was  at  home,  as  he  wished  him  to  come  and 
read  the  burial  service  at  the  funeral  of  his  child.     He 

belonged  to  the  Church  of  England.     Mr. said  that 

his  brother  was  from  home,  and  was  likely  to  be  away  for 
a  few  days ;  but  he  added,  '  Mr.  Soga  is  here,  and  may  at 
your  request  read  the  service  at  your  child's  funeral.'  '  Oh, 
no !  no !  no !  I  wont  have  him  on  any  account,'  replied 
the  deeply-offended  mourner,  and  then  gave  vent  to  his 
indignation  at  the  insult  offered.  '  Well,  well,  you  need 
not  put  yourself  into  such  a  state  about  it,'  replied  Mr. 
,  who  had  a  most  hearty  contempt  for  such  narrow- 
mindedness  ;  '  Mr.  Soga,  you  may  be  sure,  is  perfectly 
indifferent,  and  you  may  request  him  or  not  just  as  you 
please ;  I  only  mentioned  him  because  you  wanted  a  cler- 
gyman to  read  the  burial  service.'  The  man  went  away, 
and  I  went  to  perform  the  duties  devolving  upon  me. 
About  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  I  was  walking  about, 
near  the  minister's  house,  cogitating  over  my  evening's 
discourse,  when  I  saw  a  man  approaching.      He  said  to 

me :  '  Mr. has  sent  me  to  ask  if  you  would  have  the 

goodness  to  come  and  read  the  burial  service  at  the  funeral 
of  his  child.'  I  asked  the  time,  and  on  being  told  I  pro- 
mised to  go.  I  was  not  then  aware  of  what  had  taken 
place  in  the  morning.  When  the  appointed  time  arrived 
I  went  according  to  promise,  and  'pro  tempore  acted  the 
part  of  a  clergyman  of  the  Church  of  England.  Had  the 
person  been  an  adult  I  would  have  had  some  scruples, 
and  have  inquired  particularly  about  his  history  before  I 


TITO'S   KETURN   TO   SOUTH   AFRICA.  149 

had  felt  justified  in  reading  what  I  did.     After  all  was 

over,  Mr. told  me  of  his  interview  with  the  parent. 

After  the  morning  service,  he  had  come  again  to  Mr. , 

requesting  him  to  secure  my  service :  '  Is  it  come  to  this  V 

Mr. asked.     What  was  further  said  I  do  not  now 

recollect.     The  man  who  came  to  me  at  the  minister's 

house  was  a  messenger  from  Mr. ,  whose  wounded 

feelings  seemed  unaccountably  to  have  undergone  a  most 
sudden  change.  This  is  as  yet  the  only  expressed  instance 
of  Colonial  prejudice  against  your  friend  that  has  been 
told  to  me ;  but  I  must  say  that  I  am  so  hardened,  that 
the  prejudices  of  the  enlightened  men  of  this  Colony  are 
not  likely  to  exercise  any  very  material  influence  upon 
me.  I  have  preached  to  crowds,  and  have  not  the  slightest 
doubt  that  many  men  in  these  audiences  did  not  believe 
that  a  single  ray  of  light,  moral  or  intellectual,  could  ever 
penetrate  the  thick  skull,  and  into  the  modicum  of  brain 
possessed  by  one  of  sable  countenance.  It  was  a  great 
trial  to  face  such  men.  You  know  well  that  I  have 
nothing  of  which  to  boast ;  yet  what  I  had  to  say,  God 
helped  me  to  say  without  fear  of  man." 

It  was  in  such  circumstances  that  Tiyo  Soga  returned 
to  his  native  land,  as  an  accredited  preacher  of  the  Gospel. 
There  was  the  ever-present  spectacle  of  his  countrymen 
dispersed  and  seK-destroyed  ;  there  was  also  the  inward 
feeling,  which  cropped  up  when  least  expected,  and 
from  quarters  which  gave  a  poignancy  to  the  prejudices 
against  him  because  of  his  black  face.  It  was  in  such 
circumstances  that  the  ^7^6'^  ordained  preacher  of  the  Kafir 
race  began  his  labours.  He  claims  the  honour;  but  he 
had  also  to  sufier  the  penalty. 


CHAPTER    XI. 

GETTING  INTO  HARNESS.      THE  MGWALI. 

"But  well  I  know 
That  unto  him  who  works  and  feels  he  works, 
This  same  grand  year  is  ever  at  the  doors." 

At  Peelton,  the  two  young  missionaries  met  with  the 
dispersed  native  members  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Mission,  who  had  found  a  temporary  resting  place  there 
after  the  ravages  of  the  late  war.  "  We  found  our  people 
at  Peelton,"  says  Mr.  Johnston,  "waiting  anxiously  for 
us.  Hope  deferred  was  making  their  heart  sick.  They 
were  longing  much  to  be  under  the  superintendence  of 
our  Church.  They  were  wearying,  too,  for  a  proper  home. 
At  Peelton  the  land  which  had  been  given  them  was 
at  a  very  inconvenient  distance;  and  besides,  a  short  time 
before  we  reached  the  country,  that  land  had  been  granted 
to  the  Germans."  To  this  Tiyo  Soga  adds  :  "  Peelton  had 
been  up  to  this. point  the  temporary  home  of  the  converts 
belonging  to  our  former  stations  of  Chumie,  Uniondale, 
and  Iqibigha.  Their  hearts'  desire  and  prayer  to  God  had 
been  for  the  return  of  their  own  missionaries.  Our  arrival, 
therefore,  caused  unspeakable  joy.  Hitherto  it  had  been 
a  night  of  sorrow  and  weeping;  but  our  coming  once  more 
cheered  their  drooping  hearts,  and  ushered  in  the  dawn 
of  a  brighter  day.  It  was  an  indication  of  our  Church's 
continued  interest  in  their  well-being. 


GETTING   INTO   HARNESS.  151 

"  We  had  heard  ere  we  reached  Peelton  that  there  was 
a  likelihood  of  at  least  the  greater  part  of  these  people 
going  with  the  missionaries  to  the  Emgwali.  With  the  view 
of  ascertaining  the  general  feeling,  one  of  the  first  things 
we  did  was  to  convene  the  heads  of  families,  who  almost 
unanimously  resolved  to  follow  the  fortunes  of  the  mission. 
So  long  as  there  had  been  even  the  faintest  hope  of  the 
ultimate  resumption  of  the  mission,  they  had  not  looked 
upon  any  of  the  places  in  which  they  had  taken  refuge  as 
their  home.  This  was  not  owirfg  to  restlessness  of  disposition 
or  partisanship.  They  did  not  complain  of  discomfort  in 
their  outward  circumstances.  The  foundation  of  the 
strong  desire,  which  they  all  along  manifested  to  have 
our  mission  revived,  was  their  love  of  home.  Their  fondest 
affections  had  clung  to  the  mission,  as  to  a  hovfie.  They 
loved  other  missions,  inasmuch  as  they  recognized  the 
grand  object  which  they  sought  to  realize.  But  none 
possessed  the  interest  of  that  mission  of  which  they 
had  long  been  accustomed  to  consider  themselves  as 
the  offspring.  They  were  most  unwilling,  therefore,  to 
abandon  the  hope  of  having  their  home  restored  in  the 
restoration  of  their  mission  and  missionaries.  Of  the 
individuals  formerly  connected,  either  directly  or  indi- 
rectly with  the  mission,  who  have  expressed  the  desire 
of  being  still  associated  with  it,  there  are  86  males,  48 
females,  and  88  children — in  all  172  souls.  I  found,"  he 
writes  further,  "my  friends  in  the  good  providence  of 
God  all  well,  and  very  few  changes  among  them.  My  good 
old  mother  is  getting  very  aged  and  feeble;  so  is  my 
father,  though  he  still  retains  the  wild  fii-e  of  the  Kafii\ 
How  they  rejoiced  to  see  me  again !  I  am  glad  to  say  that 
I  have  not  realized  the  truth  of  the  proverb,  '  A  prophet 
is  not  without  honour,'  &c.     I  thank  God  for  this." 


152  TIYO   SOGA. 

Having  gathered  the  dispersed,  our  next  duty  was  the 
establishment  of  the  mission  station.  A  site  had  already 
been  secured,  through  the  agency  of  the  Rev.  Mr.  Gumming 
and  others,  and  the  sanction  of  Colonel  Maclean,  the 
Lieutenant  Governor  of  British  Kaffi^aria,  and  of  Sandilli, 
the  Gaika  chief,  at  the  Mgwali  stream,  about  thirty  miles 
beyond  King  William's  Town.  Messrs.  Niven  and  Gumming 
had  visited  the  district,  and  selected  this  very  place,  in 
1854 ;  but  the  war  prevented  further  action.  The  young 
missionaries,  therefore,  had  only  to  obtain  the  approval  of 
His  Excellency  the  Governor  to  proceed  to  their  new  sphere 
of  labour.  Accompanied  by  Mr.,  now  the  Honourable, 
Charles  Brownlee,  they  reached  the  Mgwali  on  the  11th 
September,  1857.  The  district  was  depopulated  in  con- 
sequence of  the  famine ;  and  had  not  the  native  converts, 
connected  with  the  United  Presbyterian  mission,  followed 
and  created  the  nucleus  of  a  population,  they  would  have 
come  on  a  fruitless  errand.  But  never  were  two  men  more 
sanguine  and  buoyant,  and  there  is  a  great  pleasure  in 
entering  upon  new  and  untried  work.  It  was  indeed 
the  day  of  "  small  things ;"  but  the  missionaries  were 
not  easily  disheartened.  They  saw  that  the  state  of  the 
Gaika  tribe  had  reached  its  lowest  ebb ;  and  with  the  few 
faithful  followers  around  them,  they  dimly  discerned  the 
first  ripple  of  the  inward  flow  of  the  tide,  and  that  soon 
the  strong  current  would  set  in. 

Mr.  Johnston's  first  impressions  of  the  place  uncon- 
sciously carried  his  thoughts  homeward,  so  that  he  was  led 
to  contrast  it  with  his  own  rich  woodland  Scottish  scenery. 
He  writes  thus  : — "  The  Emgwali  is  not  a  peculiarly  beau- 
tiful country,  at  least  according  to  our  Scotch  notions. 
In  the  immediate  vicinity  it  is  almost  entirely  destitute 
of  wooding.    But  the  Kafirs  like  it  much.    They  describe 


GETTING   INTO    HARNESS.  153 

it  as  a  first-rate  cattle  and  corn  country,  and  that  is  every- 
thing to  them.  There  are  several  very  fertile  valleys,  and 
abundance  of  arable  land,  v^^hich  may  be  easily  irrigated. 
It  will  not  be  difiicult  to  make  it  a  very  beautiful  spot, 
and  it  appears  a  most  desirable  centre  for  missionary 
operations."  Tiyo  Soga,  flushed  with  gratitude,  completes 
the  picture  thus : — "  It  was  with  no  ordinary  feelings  of 
joy  and  gratitude'  that  we  reached  the  place,  towards 
which  our  eyes  had  been  directed  ever  since  we  left 
Scotland.  To  the  Kafir,  Emgwali  is  a  land  of  milk  and 
corn;  and  certainly  to  our  eyes  it  gave  the  promise  of 
abundance  of  the  good  things  of  this  life.  The  site  of 
the  station  commands  an  extensive  view  of  the  whole 
valley;  and  the  place,  though  devoid  of  wood,  is  by  no 
means  unpleasant  to  the  eye.  At  present,  in  consequence 
of  depopulation,  Emgwali  has  not  a  single  inhabitant. 
Its  solitariness  conveys  very  melancholy  feelings  to  the 
mind ;  but  there  is  not  the  slightest  doubt  that  when  the 
Kafirs  have  improved  their  means,  ir^  those  places  to 
which  they  have  gone  because  of  the  famine,  they  will 
return  to  this  favourite  spot." 

The  Gaika  chief  Sandilli  now  appears  on  the  scene, 
welcomes  the  fresh  arrivals,  and  seeing  in  the  son  of 
one  of  his  councillors  to  what  civilization  his  people  can 
be  brought,  he  there  and  then,  with  that  impulsiveness  so 
peculiar  to  him,  requested  the  missionaries  "  to  take  and 
educate  his  four  eldest  children."  That  was  encourage- 
ment at  the  very  threshold  of  their  mission  work. 

Like  all  men,  everywhere,  who  commence  a  new  Avork, 
these  two  missionaries  had  their  full  share  of  difiiculties 
in  founding  the  Mgwali  station. 

Speedily  poles  were  cut  for  the  roof,  and  sods,  too,  for 
the  walls,  and  not  the  least  diliorent  labourers  were  the 


154  TIYO   SOGA. 

two  missionaries  themselves  who  had  just  completed  an 
intellectual  apprenticeship  at  College  and  in  the  Theological 
Hall.  They  have  all  the  greater  honour  that  they  did  not 
scruple  to  labour ;  and  the  sweetness  of  their  primitive 
life  must  have  been  all  the  sweeter,  as  they  looked  up  to 
the  roof -tree  of  their  sod  houses,  and  reflected  that  their 
own  hands  had  assisted  in  the  erection  of  these  buildings. 
Whilst  they  contentedly  accommodated  themselves  to  the 
novel  circumstances  of  their  African  missionary  life,  alter- 
nately preaching  and  building,  the  number  of  inhabitants 
was  gradually  increasing  by  the  influx  of  emaciated  Gaikas, 
pitifully  begging  for  food.  They  accordingly  appealed  to 
the  home  Church  for  pecuniary  aid  to  purchase  food  for 
the  starving  men,  women,  and  children.  The  appeal  was 
responded  to ;  and  to  their  already  accumulating  duties, 
was  added  that  of  being  purveyors  to  the  famishing 
Kafirs.  The  small  colony  of  famine-stricken  people, 
collecting  around  them,  was  not  without  some  political 
difficulties.  Bu^  let  Mr.  Soga  speak  for  himself,  and 
describe  not  only  how  their  charity  was  expended,  but 
also  how  the  serious  difficulties  connected  with  the  starving 
population  at  the  Mgwali  were  judiciously  overcome: — 

"  Do  you  remember  the  passage  in  the  book  of  Amos, 
which  represents  God  as  threatening  idolatrous  Israel, 
with  '  cleanness  of  teeth,'  and  '  want  of  bread,'  unless  they 
repented  ?  This  text  has  been  suggested  by  the  sight  of 
the  starving  Kafirs  in  our  neighbourhood.  The  second 
sentence  of  God's  judgment  was  painfully  true,  in  the 
present  state  of  this  people,  but  if  the  words  '  cleanness  of 
teeth,'  mean  '  tuhiteness  of  teeth,'  then  the  appearance  of 
the  teeth  of  the  Kafirs  in  question  is  very  far  from  being 
clean  in  that  sense.  They  had  an  unnatural  green,  and 
very  dirty  colour.     This  led  me  to  ask  them  one  day  how 


GETTING  INTO   HARNESS.  155 

this  was,  and  they  told  me  they  had  been  living  for  months 
on  the  dandelion.  It  is  very  abundant  in  Kafirland,  in 
cultivated  places.  It  had  given  their  formerly  beautiful 
teeth  that  repulsive  aspect.  I  have,  moreover,  seen  some 
of  these  poor  creatures  with  frightfully  swollen  cheeks, 
the  result  of  constantly  masticating  the  roots  of  the  young 
mimosa  tree.  It  is  a  miserable  thing  from  which  to  have 
a  meal.  The  last  corpse  I  saw,  had  a  stick  sharpened  at 
both  ends,  lying  close  to  the  head,  which  this  poor  creature 
had  used,  to  dig  roots  of  every  kind  to  maintain  life. 
Mr.  Johnston  and  I  have  purchased  corn  to  assist  some  of 
these  starvincr  creatures ;  and  unless  we  had  done  so,  we 
could  not  have  commenced  operations.  The  assistance 
rendered  is  not  gratuitous.  What  we  give  to  the  station 
people  will  be  returned  by  them  in  corn,  or  in  money, 
when  their  circumstances  improve.  What  we  dole  out  to 
the  heathen  famishing  Kafirs  is  in  return  for  grass,  to 
thatch  our  temporary  houses  and  Church,  or  as  payment 
for  some  light  necessary  work.  But  there  are  others  so 
utterly  weak,  as  to  be  unable  to  do  any  manual  labour, 
and  these  we  are  obliged  to  ration  gratuitously. 

"  Although  the  establishment  of  our  mission  station 
had  received  the  sanction  of  Government,  there  was  a 
statement  made  by  the  Lieutenant  Governor  of  British 
Kaffraria  to  the  effect,  that,  with  the  exception  of  the 
families  connected  with  our  mission,  we  were  not  to 
concentrate  any  people  at  the  Emgwali,  as  it  would  be  in 
opposition  to  the  Government  policy.  I  confess  that  at  the 
time  I  did  not  fully  appreciate  the  difficulties  of  this  pro- 
hibition. Whilst  we  exercised  from  the  first  the  caution 
of  not  concentrating  people  upon  the  station,  we  gradually 
realised  that  the  prohibition  was  most  grievous,  as  it 
struck  at  the  root  of  all  missionary  efibrt  in  Kafirland,  and 


156  TIYO   SOGA. 

especially  fettered  us  in  dealing  with  the  famine-stricken 
Kafirs,  who  poured  in  upon  us  soliciting  help.     On  the 
arrival  of  His  Excellency  on  the  frontier,  we  rode  to  King 
William's  ToT\m  for  the  purpose  of  representing  our  case, 
if  he  would  favour  us  with  an  interview.     Our  object  was 
to  ask  him  to  confirm  our  occupation  of  the  Emgwali ;  to 
request  liberty  to  enter  upon  any  new  sphere  of  labour 
that  might  open  to  us ;  and  to  understand  definitely  the 
conditions  of  our  existence  as  a  mission  at  the  Emgwali. 
Before  seeing   the  Governor,  we  deemed  it  prudent  to 
have  an  interview  with  Colonel  Maclean,  the  Lieutenant 
Governor,  and  intimate  to  him  our  intention  to  see  His 
Excellency.     We  accordingly  proceeded  to  Fort  Murray, 
and  had  only  time  to  state  our  case,  when  an  express  arrived 
from  King  William's  Town  to  announce  the  arrival  of  Sir 
George  Grey,  and  the  necessity  for  the  immediate  presence 
of   Colonel  Maclean.      The  Lieutenant  Governor  simply 
renewed  the  prohibition  he  had  already  issued,  and  told 
us,  with  reference  to  the  other  points,  that  the  constitu- 
tional way  in  such  matters  was  to  draw  up  a  memorial  to 
His  Excellency.     We  rode  to  Kiog  William's  Town  with 
saddened  hearts,  anticipating  from  the  renewal  of  the 
prohibition,  future  embarrassments  at  the  Emgwali. 

"  Next  morning  we  were  favoured  with  an  easy  and 
agreeable  interview  with  the  Governor.  With  regard  to 
our  occupation  of  the  Mgwali  as  a  mission  station,  he 
stated  that  there  was  no  objection  whatever,  provided  it 
was  a  spot  eligible  as  a  site  for  one  of  the  villages,  which 
His  Excellency  informed  us  he  intended  to  establish 
throughout  Kafirland;  and  provided,  further,  it  was 
capable  of  supporting  a  large  population,  and  was  a  place 
where  water  for  irrigation  purposes  might  be  led  out.  If 
these  conditions  were  fulfilled.  Government  would  have 


GETTING   INTO    HARNESS.  157 

the  place  surveyed  and  divided  into  four-acre  lots  for 
each  family,  on  an  annual  quit-rent.  Should  the  place  be 
formed  into  a  village  he  would  not  interfere  with  our 
religious  tenets,  although,  to  prevent  the  youth  growing 
up  in  ignorance,  he  would  establish  a  Government  school 
there.  The  water  also  that  might  be  led  out  would  be  a 
matter  for  Government.  So  far  as  our  knowledge  went, 
we  said,  in  reply  to  His  Excellency,  that  we  thought  the 
place  would  conveniently  answer  all  the  conditions  he  had 
indicated.  We  then  informed  him  of  the  command  of  the 
Lieutenant  Governor  forbidding  us  to  concentrate  natives 
at  the  station,  and  the  difficulties  in  which  we  had  conse- 
quently been  placed.  We  asked  if  the  prohibition  referred 
to  those  cases  which,  in  the  course  of  our  missionary 
labours,  might  be  brought  under  the  influence  of  the 
truth,  as  such  persons  might  desire  to  reside  upon  the 
station.  His  Excellency  did  not  see  the  utility  of  a  mission 
station  without  people.  He  then  called  in  Col.  Maclean, 
and  asked  if  there  was  any  political  reason  which  might 
be  urged  as  an  objection  to  people  going  to  reside  at  the 
Emgwali.  From  the  reply  of  the  Lieutenant  Governor  it 
seemed  to  me  that  it  was  his  opinion  that,  should  our 
station  be  permanently  established  and  ultimately  become 
one  of  the  villages,  its  position  would  be  too  near  to  the 
Church  Mission  station  of  St.  John's,  ten  miles  distant 
on  the  south;  to  the  Berlin  Mission  station,  about  the 
same  distance  to  the  north-west;  and  to  the  German 
village  of  Stutterheim,  with  its  mission  twelve  miles  to  the 
west.  The  Lieutenant  Governor  urged  no  political  reason. 
His  Excellency  then  stated  that,  if  the  place  fulfilled  the 
conditions  to  which  I  have  already  alluded,  those  who 
desired  to  come  to  the  station  might  do  so  without 
hindrance.     On  the  point  of  asking  permission  to  occupy 


158  TIYO   SOGA. 

any  other  field  of  usefulness  that  might  present  itself  to  us, 
we  informed  His  Excellency  that  although  it  was  probable 
we  might  be  together  for  some  time  at  the  Mgwali,  yet 
afterwards  it  might  be  desirable  to  carry  out  the  wishes  of 
the  Church  at  home  and  extend  the  mission,  in  which  case 
one  of  us  would  be  removed  to  another  place.  We  men- 
tioned the  Thomas  River  (Itunxwe)  as  a  place  to  which  we 
had  directed  our  attention.  We  also  informed  him  that 
formerly  the  Berlin  Society  expressed  a  desire  to  occupy 
it ;  but  from  their  having  lately  established  a  mission  in 
Anta's  country,  they  seemed  to  leave  the  Thomas  River  as 
an  open  field.  His  Excellency  then  replied  that  we  might 
occupy  any  other  place,  provided  our  interests  did  not 
come  into  collision  with  those  of  other  societies.  Such 
is  a  very  imperfect  outline  of  our  interview  with  the 
Governor.  The  result  sent  us  home  with  feelings  the 
reverse  of  those  with  which  we  rode  to  Fort  Murray  and 
King  William's  Town.  The  Mgwali  is  now  our  own,  so 
far  as  the  assurance  of  the  Governor  can  make  it ;  it  may 
now  without  hindrance  be  increased  in  population,  and 
further  action  may  now  be  taken  in  any  other  position 
that  may  present  to  us  claims  for  usefulness.  In  process 
of  time  the  Mgwali  will  gather  around  it  a  large  popu- 
lation." 

The  young  missionaries  then  proceeded  to  erect  a  house 
for  the  worship  of  God,  the  material  used  being  what  is 
popularly  termed  in  the  Cape  Colony  "  wattle  and  daub ;" 
but  before  the  architect  and  builder  had  completed  his 
contract  he  suddenly  deserted  his  work,  and  left  the 
helpless  missionaries  to  finish  it  to  the  best  of  their 
ability.  By  the  exercise  of  patience  and  perseverance 
— two  indispensable  virtues  in  all  engaged  in  mission 
work — and    after    many   delays    and    annoyances,   they 


GETTING   INTO    HARNESS.  159 

witnessed  its  completion,  and  consecrated  it  to  the  one 
purpose  for  which  it  was  built,  rude  and  unpretentious  as 
it  was.  "  It  is  now  seven  months,"  writes  Tiyo  Soga  to 
Mr.  Miller,  on  19th  April,  1858,  "  since  we  came  to  this 
place,  and  this  is  what  we  have  done : — We  have  built 
two  small  cottages  for  ourselves.  Our  manses  have  the 
following  apartments  :  one  bed-room ;  one  parlour  (rather 
a  dignified  name  however  !) ;  one  very  small  store- room 
and  a  kitchen.  Although  we  engaged  a  carpenter  to  erect 
them,  we  had  to  put  our  own  hands  to  the  work.  You 
would  not  covet  them.  But,  of  course,  they  must  do  for 
missionaries ;  and  I  assure  you  we  are  thankful,  and 
think  them  luxurious.  Up  till  within  the  last  two  weeks 
we  were  engaged  in  the  erection  of  our  little  church. 
It  is  made  of  wattle  or  daub.  The  carpenter  suddenly 
disappeared  ere  it  was  completed,  and  we  were  left  in  an 
awkward  predicament.  You  know  that  we  served  our 
apprenticeship  for  a  different  profession,  and  so  we  had 
serious  thoughts  of  getting  another  mechanic  to  succeed 
the  deserter.  At  last,  however,  we  resolved  to  make  the 
best  of  it  ourselves.  Brother  Johnston  was  the  painter, 
and  your  humble  servant  the  glazier.  After  we  had 
commenced  operations,  I  found  so  far  as  my  department 
was  concerned,  to  use  a  Kafir  proverb,  '  I  had  begun  luith 
building  the  barn,  before  the  mealies  tvere  ripe'  The 
glass  required  to  be  cut,  in  order  to  get  the  panes  to  fit. 
But  then  there  was  no  diamond,  and  the  nearest  place 
where  one  could  be  obtained  was  80  miles  distant.  To 
King  William's  Town  then  we  had  to  send,  and  when  at 
last  the  diamond  came,  I  inaugurated  its  arrival  by  a 
serious  reduction  of  the  disposable  number  of  panes  !  Of 
course  I  had  never  used  a  diamond  before.  But  as  practice 
and  perseverance  make  perfect,  I  had  the  satisfaction  of 


160  TIYO   SOGA. 

seeing  the  work  succeed.  When  you  come  to  preach  for 
us,  you  will  have  the  'pleasure  of  looking  through  windows, 
the  panes  of  which  I  had  for  the  most  part  to  fit  and  glaze. 
For  a  whole  month  we  toiled  on,  and  at  length  as  the 
Ka&s  say,  when  they  have  been  successful  in  any  under- 
taking, '  the  truth  was  on  our  side!  Two  Sabbaths  ago, 
we  had  it  opened  by  special  services,  and  by  the  dispensa- 
tion of  the  Lord's  Supper.  To  us  the  occasion  was  deeply 
interesting,  and  we  shall  not  soon  forget  the  day.  Brother 
Johnston  opened  the  services  by  preaching  in  the  morning, 
from  the  last  four  verses  of  the  90th  Psalm.  In  the  after- 
noon, I  dispensed  the  ordinance  of  the  Lord's  Supper  to 
about  forty  communicants,  and  in  the  evening  preached 
from  Psalm  cxxvi.  3,  '  The  Lord  hath  done  great  things 
for  us,  whereof  we  are  glad.'  Do  you  recollect  the  Kafir 
melody  I  sometimes  sung  in  Scotland,  not  '  Ndimtanda' 
the  singing  of  which  you  were  wont  to  imitate,  but  the 
one  I  sang  as  the  pure  production,  words  and  music,  of 
one  of  our  earliest  Kafir  converts  ?  I  gave  it  out  at  the 
conclusion  of  the  communion  services,  and  it  produced  a 
most  touching  efiect.  We  had  sobs  and  shrieks  in  our 
little  assembly.  The  Kafirs,  like  other  primitive  people, 
are  very  susceptible  of  impressions,  and  give  vent  to 
their  feelings.  It  was  the  favourite  hymn  of  the  Chumie 
people.  Their  exile  gave  them  few  or  no  opportunities  of 
sinning  it.  It  awakened  therefore  the  associations  of  the 
past,  and  recalled  the  memories  of  those  who  once  joined 
them  in  its  melancholy  notes,  but  who  are  now  sleeping 
their  last  long  sleep." 

On  the  same  date  he  writes  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Somerville : 
"  Last  week  we  had  the  joy  of  seeing  our  work  of  erecting 
a  small  temporary  place  of  worship,  brought  to  a  close. 
Yesterday  we   commemorated  the   completion,  and  the 


GETTING  INTO  HARNESS.  161 

opening  of  it,  by  special  services,  and  partaking  of  the 
Lord's  Supper.  During  the  two  previous  weeks,  we  had 
the  church  organised  and  intimated  our  purpose  of  dis- 
pensing the  sacrament  on  the  Sabbath,  on  which  our  little 
church  was  to  be  opened.  From  a  preparatory  meeting 
with  our  former  elders  at  the  Chumie,  Dukwana,  Festive, 
Tohe,  and  Myosi,  we  found  that  the  converts  with  two 
exceptions  had,  during  all  their  time  at  Peelton,  main- 
tained a  consistent  profession  oi"  godliness.  They  are 
36  in  number.  The  greater  part  of  them  carried  certifi- 
cates of  membership  from  the  missionary  at  Peelton. 
Adding  to  these  the  mission  families,  about  40  individuals 
sat  down  to  the  communion.  The  occasion  was  interesting 
in  the  highest  degree,  and  the  day  cannot  soon  be  forgotten 
by  us.  On  the  preceding  Friday  we  held  service  with  the 
people.  On  Sabbath  morning  at  sunrise  we  had  a  delight- 
ful prayer  meeting  at  ten  o'clock.  Brother  Johnston 
opened  the  special  services  of  the  day,  and  preached  very 
impressively  from  Psalm  xc.  14-17.  At  twelve  o'clock, 
we  sat  down  to  the  communion.  After  a  short  address,  I 
distributed  the  elements,  then  Brother  Johnston  followed 
with  •  another  address.  The  whole  scene  was  deeply 
solemn,  devout,  and  impressive.  We  concluded  by  singing 
the  h^^un  of  Ntsikana,  the  father  of  Dukwana.  It  was 
always  a  favourite  with  the  Chumie  people,  and  the 
late  ^Ir.  Chalmers,  I  remember,  invariably  concluded  the 
.services  of  the  communion,  by  giving  out  this  hymn.  I 
scarcely  think  it  will  ever  again  be  sung  as  it  was  sung  in 
his  day.  Our  people  since  they  left  the  Chumie  must 
have  had  few  oppoi^tunities  of  singing  it.  The  effect 
which  it  produced  in  our  little  assembly  was  thrilling.  It 
must  have  wakened  memories  of  the  past.  No  doubt 
some  of  these  would  be  pleasant,  others  again  must  have 


162  TIYO   SOGA. 

been  most  sad  and  melancholy.  I  saw  many  an  eye 
bathed  in  tears,  and  many  a  strong  frame  shaking,  and 
trembling  from  the  intensity  of  deep  emotion.  Unite 
with  lis  in  praying  earnestly  for  the  prosperity  of  this 
infant  Zion.  Though  its  beginning  is  small,  the  Lord 
grant  that  its  latter  end  may  greatly  increase  ! " 

The  Mgwali  station  may  now  be  said  to  be  fairly  estab- 
lished. Tiyo  Soga  is  now  the  spiritual  guide  of  not  a  few 
of  his  old  class-mates  at  the  Chumie  school;  his  eldest 
brother,  who  first  taught  him  to  decipher  the  alphabet,  is 
one  of  the  ruling  elders  of  this  church  in  the  wilderness. 
After  long  separation,  and  many  painful  experiences,  their 
hopes  are  at  last  realised,  and  side  by  side  they  sit  at  that 
long  communion  table,  which  stretches  from  the  "  upper 
room"  on  to  the  end  of  time ;  and  amid  muffled  sobs  take 
into  their  hands  that  sacred  cup  which  reminds  them  that, 
amid  all  the  changes  and  vicissitudes  through  which  they 
had  passed,  there  was  One  at  least  who  knows  no  change, 
and  is  "  the  same  yesterday,  and  to-day,  and  for  ever." 

The  country  where  these  missionaries  had  made  a  begin- 
ning, and  which  for  months  had  been  the  haunt  of  wolves 
and  every  kind  of  carrion  bird,  was  now  slowly  but  gra- 
dually being  filled  up  by  returning  Kafirs.  "  By  the  liber- 
ality of  the  parent  Church  the  missionaries  were  able  to 
give  food  and  work  to  numbers,  who  gathered  around  the 
station,  and  in  this  way  they  were  instrumental  in  saving 
not  a  few."  What  a  contrast  all  this  to  the  tragedy 
which  a  few  months  before  had  completely  denuded  the 
whole  country  of  its  inhabitants  !  How  diflferent  now  the 
aspect  of  the  people  who  had  been  rescued  from  starva- 
tion !  For  weeks  and  months  falsehood  had  dismem- 
bered and  scattered  the  Gaika  tribe,  and  thinned  its  ranks ; 
and  the  piteous  wail  of  distress  echoed  throughout  the 


GETTING  INTO  HARNESS.  163 

Colony.  Now,  in  what  was  the  very  centre  of  this  tribe, 
two  missionaries  had  erected  the  symbol  of  peace,  which 
was  becoming  the  rallying-cry  of  men  and  women  who 
had  fled  to  the  Colony  for  help.  The  false  prophet  had 
taught  the  people  to  believe  a  lie,  and  their  destruction 
was  the  result.  Truth  followed  and  asserted  its  power. 
The  barbarians,  humbled  by  famine  and  self-condemned, 
returned  and  acknowledged  that  the  Gospel  was  the  only 
truth,  and  the  preachers  of  it  their  best  and  most  faithful 
friends. 


CHAPTER^.XII 


IN   HARNESS. 


"Work,  true  work,  done  honestly  and  manfully  for  Christ,  never  can  be  a 
failure.  Your  own  work,  which  God  has  given  you  to  do,  whatever  that  is, 
let  it  be  done  truly.  Leave  eternity  to  sliow  that  it  has  not  been  in  vain  in 
the  Lord.     Let  it  but  be  work,  it  will  tell." 

Not  to  enter  upon  an  apprenticeship  in  architecture  or 
masonry  had  these  two  men  been  equipped  and  sent  forth 
into  the  African  field,  but  to  build  a  spiritual  edifice,  with 
Christ  as  the  foundation,  and  with  materials  in  the  souls 
of  the  people.  The  following  letter  of  Tiyo  Soga  to  his 
friend,  the  Rev.  T.  C.  Finlayson,  whilst  it  possesses  the 
interest  of  describing  a  marvellous  escape,  and  gives  the 
first  whisperings  of  feeble  health,  simply  but  graphically 
and  somewhat  minutely  describes  how  the  greater  work 
to  which  he  had  devoted  his  life  was  being  carried  on : — 
"  The  following  will  give  you  an  idea  of  our  missionary 
work.  To  commence  with  the  Sahbath, — In  the  morning 
at  sunrise  there  is,  preparatory  to  the  service  of  the  day, 
a  general  prayer-meeting,  at  which  the  missionaries  simply 
preside,  while  the  devotional  exercises  are  conducted  by 
the  elders  and  members  of  the  church.  At  nine  o'clock 
we  meet  with  our  class  of  catechumens.  At  ten  o'clock 
the  first  service  of  the  day  commences,  which  is  conducted 
by  Brother  Johnston  and  myself  alternately.  At  half -past 
eleven,  when  the  church  comes  out,  our  Sabbath  School 
meets,  and   is   conducted  by  the   elders,  who  are  four 


IN   HARNESS.  1G5 

excellent,  pious,  intelligent  men.  About  half -past  twelve 
o'clock,  there  is  another  public  service.  After  three  o'clock 
we  have  our  English  service,  which  we  conduct  also  alter- 
nately. This  closes  the  public  service  of  the  Sabbath. 
During  the  week  we  have  a  service  for  praise,  prayer,  and 
reading  the  word,  every  morning  at  sunrise. 

"  Monday  is  a  free  day  with  the  exception  of  this 
devotional  meeting. 

"On  Tuesday  we  visit  an  out-station  of  ours,  eight 
miles  distant.  We  travel  thither  on  horseback.  Horses 
are  the  railways  and  omnibuses  of  this  country.  The 
people  at  this  out-station  never  before  had  opportunities 
of  hearing  the  joyful  sound.  They  are  a  very  teachable 
people,  and  not  only  willing  to  hear  us,  but  very  anxious 
that  we  should  visit  them  frequently.  It  is  really  quite 
delightful  to  go  among  them.  The  boys  and  girls 
are  bright,  intelligent  children.  In  going  to  this  kraal 
we  invariably  carry  a  sheet  of  the  alphabet,  and  when 
our  meeting  with  the  people  is  over,  we  give  a  lesson  to 
the  young  people.  They  are  quite  in  raptures  with  it. 
One  or  two  boys  among  them,  who  are  especially  sharp, 
will  not,  I  think,  disappoint  our  expectations  of  them. 
The  head  man  of  the  kraal  tells  us  that  these  young 
people  can  remember  far  more  of  the  strange  things  we 
speak  to  them  than  the  grown-up  people  do.  On  Tuesday 
afternoon  we  meet  with  our  elders,  and  in  the  evening  we 
conduct  a  class  for  those  Kafirs  who  have  come  to  reside 
here  since  the  station  was  founded.  The  pupils  in  this 
class  are  certainly  no  credit  to  the  Kafir  intellect.  It  is 
without  exception  the  most  thick-headed  class  I  ever  had 
to  conduct.  However,  we  do  not  despair  of  some  time  or 
other  drilling  a  hole  into  their  thick  skulls,  to  let  in  the 
light  that  may  awaken  the  dormant  faculties  of  the  soul. 


166  TIYO   SOGA. 

They  are  a  class  of  people  whose  minds  have  never  been 
accustomed  to  think  of  anything  beyond  their  bodily 
wants,  and  the  colour,  number,  and  quality  of  cattle, 
hence  it  will  take  some  time  for  them  even  to  remember 
and  know  that  an  A  is  an  A.  How  very  different  the 
children  are  from  these  grown-up  people.  It  is  amazing- 
how  quickly  they  master  the  alphabet.  My  house  boy, 
of  whom  you  will  hear  more,  could  go  over  it  correctly  in 
about  a  week. 

"  Wednesday. — In  the  forenoon  of  this  day  we  visit 
among  the  people  at  the  station  and  near  neighbourhood. 
In  the  evening  we  have  a  general  prayer-meeting,  at  which 
an  exhortation  is  given  by  either  Mr.  Johnston  or  myself. 

"  Thy.rsday  is  another  of  our  itinerating  days;  and  on 
account  of  the  extent  of  the  field  we  wish  to  overtake, 
we  devote  the  whole  day  to  this  work.  In  the  evening 
we  return  to  our  class  of  adult  pupils. 

"  Friday  is  a  free  day. 

"  Saturday  forenoon  we  devote  to  mutual  improve- 
ment. On  one  Saturday  we  read  some  portion  of  Hebrew 
and  Gibbon,  and  on  the  other  the  Greek  Testament  and 
Neander's  Church  History. 

"  Thus  you  have  an  idea  of  our  special  duties  at  this 
place.  For  eight  days,  however,  so  far  as  I  am  concerned, 
they  have  been  suspended  from  an  accident,  which  nearly 
deprived  me  of  my  eyesight,  and  I  may  say  also  of  my 
life.  I  have  been  mercifully  delivered,  and  I  am  now 
writing  with  a  head  and  face  enveloped  in  wadding  and 
handkerchiefs.  I  had  brought  from  Scotland  some  liquid 
glue,  whose  properties  for  mending  everything  were  highly 
extolled  by  a  Glasgow  friend.  Having  partly  filled  a  pan 
with  warm  water,  I  put  into  it  the  stone  bottle  containing 
the  glue,  to  prepare  it  for  use.     In  my  absence  the  bottle 


IN    HAllNESS.  1G7 

was  removed  from  the  pan,  and  placed  upon  the  heated 
stove.  When  about  to  begin  my  mending  operations,  and 
on  removing  the  cork,  there  was  a  loud  explosion,  and  the 
ignited  glue  was  discharged  over  my  face.  I  instantly 
threw  down  the  bottle,  and  with  both  hands  tried  to 
extinguish  the  fire  upon  my  face,  but  to  no  purpose.  The 
friction  seemed  to  increase  it,  and  to  intensify  the  agony. 
I  saw  a  tub  of  water,  made  a  rush  to  it,  buried  my  face 
in  the  water,  and  extinguished  the  flame  on  my  face. 
Thinking  that  I  was  now  safe,  I  rose,  but  to  my  horror, 
my  neckerchief  and  shirt  were  in  a  blaze.  Fortunately 
the  house  boy  seized  a  vessel  full  of  water,  near  at  hand, 
and  dashed  the  contents  of  it  on  my  face,  and  neck,  and 
chest.  But  when  the  fire  about  my  person  was  extin- 
guished, I  was  called  to  encounter  a  still  more  serious 
evil,  or  rather  the  same  evil  in  a  more  alarming  form. 
The  flame  had  reached  the  thatch  roof  of  the  kitchen, 
and  was  endangering  the  wdiole  house.  I  snatched  the 
vessel  from  the  boy,  tilled  it  with  water  from  the 
tub,  and  cast  the  water  vigorously  and  repeatedly 
upon  the  flame.  To  my  joy  my  efibrts  were  crowned 
with  success.  I  was  saved,  and  the  house  was  saved. 
There  are  one  or  two  circumstances  connected  with  this 
accident  which  show  how  kind  our  Father  in  Heaven  is 
— how  He  provides  beforehand  for  our  safety.  That  tub 
was  never  before  in  the  kitchen  with  water ;  and  when  I 
asked  the  girl  how  it  was  she  had  filled  it,  she  replied 
that  she  really  could  not  assign  any  special  reason  for 
doing  so.  To  fill  it  must  have  been  no  easy  task,  for  it  is 
a  very  large  one.  Had  the  water  not  been  there,  very 
likely  I  would  have  rushed  to  the  river,  and  perhaps  have 
reached  it  only  to  perish.  Then  the  house  must  have 
been  consumed  by  the  flames.      Fortunately,  there  was 


168  TIYO   SOGA. 

hardly  a  breath  of  wind  that  night,  otherwise  my  efforts 
to  extinguish  the  flames  would  have  been  fruitless.  Then, 
how  my  eyes  escaped  is  still  a  mystery  to  me.  But  oh  ! 
the  agony  T  endured  in  my  scalded  face,  hands,  and  arms 
during  that  night  is  indescribable.  My  face  is  partially 
blistered,  and  so  are  my  arms.  The  wadding  early 
applied  saved  me  so  far.  Gratefully  do  I  attribute  this 
deliverance  to  Him  who  has  the  issues  of  life  and  death. 
It  has  no  doubt  been  sent  for  some  gracious  purpose.  May 
I  be  wise  to  improve  the  lesson  which  it  inculcates.  You 
will  be  disposed  to  sympathise  deeply  with  me  when  I  tell 
you  that  this  was  a  misfortune  upon  a  misfortune.  A 
few  days  previously,  I  had  returned  from  King  William's 
Town,  whither  I  had  gone  to  consult  a  medical  adviser 
about  a  pain  in  my  left  side,  which  I  have  had  for  a  long 
time,  and  also  about  some  disagreeable  symptoms  in  the 
region  of  my  chest.  I  was  thoroughly  examined  and 
sounded,  and  with  this  result,  that  there  is  an  enlarge- 
ment of  the  spleen,  and  a  functional  derangement  of  the 
heart.  I  am  at  present  under  medical  regime.  T  have 
been  blistered  twice  on  the  side,  and  am  taking  a  course 
of  quinine  and  iron.  What  the  issue  shall  be  I  cannot 
tell.  I  can  only  say  that  T  am  far  from  well ;  but  I  thank 
God  that  I  am  not  worse,  and  may  I  improve  by  all  these 
warnings  !  It  is  my  gi^eat  desire  that  God  would  sanctify 
them  to  me.     Pray  for  me." 

For  many  long  anxious  months  the  missionaries  laboured, 
as  described  in  Tiyo  Soga's  sketch  of  their  work,  within 
the  church  and  beyond  it,  week-day  and  Sunday,  at  even- 
ing classes  and  in  Kafir  kraals,  without  any  apparent 
results.  The  sod-houses  were  reared  with  comparative 
ease,  and  the  church  also  soon  sprang  into  existence ;  but 
their  true  work  was  more  difficult  to  build  up,  and  con- 


IN    HARNESS.  169 

solidate,  and  make  visible.  It  is  so  everjrw^here.  So  was 
it  when  the  Master  Builder  Himself  trod  our  earth,  and 
therefore  He  spoke  words  which  possess  a  wonderful 
living  power — words  which  sustain  many  a  solitary  work- 
man labouring  in  the  dark  places  of  the  earth  even  now, 
when  He  compared  the  establishment  and  growth  of  His 
kingdom  to  leaven,  which  is  slow,  silent,  and  secret, 
though  sure  in  its  operation.  Thus  have  all  Christian 
missionaries  felt  it.  Many  of  them,  even  the 'most  faithful, 
have  toiled  to  the  very  end  without  seeing  the  fruits  of 
their  labours  ?  How  natural  therefore — how  human — 
for  the  missionary,  when  he  has  been  the  mean  of  finding 
the  lost  sheep,  or  after  much  search  should  come  upon  the 
lost  coin,  that  he  should  not  only  rejoice  himseK,  but  call 
others  to  share  his  joy,  as  he  sends  to  the  mother  church 
an  account  of  what  brings  gladness  to  his  own  soul  amid 
his  many  untold  trials  and  sorrows  !  Accordingly,  we  find 
Mr.  Johnston  referring  to  the  first-fruits  of  their  work  as 
follows  : — "  For  nearly  two  years  we  have  sown  the  seed 
of  Divine  truth  at  the  Emgwali,  and  now  we  have 
gathered  the  first-fruits.  On  the  first  Sabbath  of  April 
we  admitted  two  young  men  and  one  young  woman  into 
the  Church  of  Christ — two  by  baptism,  after  which  ordi- 
nance they,  with  their  companion,  who  had  been  baptized 
in  infancy,  united  with  us  in  observing  the  great  ordi- 
nance of  the  Christian  Church.  It  was  a  joyful  day  at 
the  Mgwali.  These  young  persons  have  been  members  of 
our  candidates'  class  since  we  came  to  the  Emgwali,  and 
have  given  us  great  satisfaction  by  their  consistent  con- 
duct and  by  their  clear  understanding  of  the  doctrines  of 
our  faith.  They  have  been  selected  from  a  class  of  22 
candidates;  and  we  hope  to  feel  warranted,  in  a  few 
months,  to  introduce  other  five  into  the  Church  of  Christ. 


170  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  The  Spirit  of  all  grace,  we  trust,  has  been  very  visibly 
amongst  us.  We  have  had  two  very  decided  cases  of 
awakening  to  a  sense  of  sin.  One  young  person,  whom 
we  had  thought  beyond  all  sense  of  shame,  and  against 
whom  we  had  been  compelled  to  think  the  most  bitter 
things,  lately  came  to  us  in  the  greatest  agony  of  mind, 
crying,  '  Sirs,  what  must  I  do  to  be  saved  V  and  he  is  now 
a  regular  attender  on  our  candidates'  class.  The  other,  up 
till  this  time,  has  lived  amid  the  pollutions  of  heathenism. 
Her  relatives  took  a  most  decided  part  in  the  late  wars, 
and  obeyed  to  the  letter  the  commands  of  Mhlakaza. 
Their  poverty  brought  them  to  our  station.  They  have 
to  a  large  extent  been  pensioners  upon  our  bounty.  But 
should  this  seeking  one  find  the  True  Prophet,  temporal 
loss  shall  turn  out  eternal  gain,  and  the  givers  at  home 
to  the  Kafir  famine  fund  shall  have  the  satisfaction  of 
knowing  that  their  temporal  aid  has  been  the  occasion  of 
eternal  benefit  to  some.  She  also  waits  most  regularly 
upon  the  means  of  grace,  and  has  joined  herseK  to  our 
deeply  interesting  class  of  candidates.  We  have  earnestly 
thanked  God  and  taken  courage." 

Tiyo  Soga,  on  the  other  hand,  describes  how  it  was 
necessary  that  his  countrymen  should  fii^st  be  deceived  by 
a  false  prophet,  and  then  suffer  from  the  evils  of  the  false- 
hood, ere  one  of  his  countrywomen  could  be  brought  to 
a  knowledge  of  the  truth  : — "  The  dispersion  of  the  Kafirs 
by  the  late  famine  has,  in  many  places,  produced  its  moral 
fruits  to  the  praise  of  His  name,  who  has  the  ordering  of 
all  events,  for  the  promotion  of  His  glory,  and  the  ever- 
lasting good  of  men.  How  well  may  we,  taking  this  view 
of  all  occurring  events,  exclaim  with  Paul,  '  Oh  the  depth 
both  of  the  wisdom  and  knowledge  of  God ;  how  unsearch- 
able are  his  judgments,  and  his  ways  past  finding  out ! ' 


IN   HARNESS.  171 

There  is  a  very  intelligent  woman,  who,  about  a  fortnight 
ago,  joined  the  inquirers'  class,  to  whom  it  is  now  no 
subject  of.  regret,  that  she  was  driven  from  her  heathen 
home,  to  seek  a  refuge  from  the  famine  at  the  Mgwali.  It 
is  not  quite  a  year  since  she  came  here  with  her  husband. 
She  told  me  in  private  conversation  that  before  she  became 
a  member  of  the  class,  and  soon  after  she  came  to  the 
station,  she  received  impressions  of  the  truth,  and  began 
to  pray ;  and  that  for  some  time  ere  she  resolved  openly 
to  seek  the  Lord,  she  was  under  very  deep  and  painful 
convictions  of  sin.  She  frequently  at  this  time  came,  at 
my  request  and  also  at  her  own  desire,  on  Sabbath  evenings, 
to  my  house,  to  speak  about  the  state  of  her  soul ;  and 
it  was  evident  that  she  was  under  serious  impressions. 
The  result  has  been  as  already  stated.  In  our  Sabbath 
School  I  sometimes  took  the  class  of  those  grown-up 
persons  who  could  not  read,  and  explained  for  their 
benefit,  the  questions  of  a  simple  Kafir  catechism.  This 
class  she  regularly  attended,  and  decidedly  was  at  the 
head  of  them  all  in  understanding.  I  think  she  has  the 
catechism  nearly  all  by  heart,  although  it  is  not  a  year 
since  she  came  amongst  us.  May  we  not  believe  that  she 
is  under  the  teaching  of  the  Good  Spirit  Himself  ?  She  is 
now  making  successful  efforts  to  read.  From  the  progress, 
already  made,  it  will  not  be  long  before  she  is  is  able  to 
draw  for  herself  from  the  pure  fountain  of  God  s  precious 
truth.  Her  answers  in  the  inquirers'  class  indicate  truly 
astonishing  knowledge  of  the  gospel.  At  our  daily  morning 
prayer  meeting,  she  is  a  model  in  regularity  of  attendance. 
Rarely  indeed  do  we  miss  Garishe'  from  her  place  in  all 
the  services  of  God's  house.  Her  husband,  in  this  respect, 
follows  closely  the  example  of  his  wife.  He  is  also  a  very 
hopeful  character,  a  man  of  fine  natural  shrewdness.    Since 


172  TIYO   SOGA. 

he  came  amonsrst  us,  he  has  learned  to  know  the  truth  well, 
and  when  he  converses  about  it,  seems  to  feel  its  import- 
ance. God  grant  that  he,  also,  may  be  one  of  those  lost 
sheep,  which  the  Good  Shepherd  permitted  through  strange 
providences  to  wander  away,  that  He  might  gather  them 
into  His  spiritual  fold ! 

"  There  is  also  another  case  that  has  made  us  bless  God, 
and  lift  up  the  hands,  so  ready  to  hang  down.  It  is  that 
of  a  young  woman,  the  daughter  of  one  of  our  oldest 
church  members.  She  is  of  a  very  pleasant  exterior,  and 
knew  it.  It  lifted  her  up,  became  her  temptation,  and 
finally  made  her  fall  most  grievously.  For  a  good  while 
after  she  confessed  her  guilt  to  man,  and  after  we  had 
spoken  very  plainly  to  her  about  the  heinousness  of 
her  sin  before  God,  she  made  no  profession  of  having 
sinned  grievously  against  God,  her  parents,  the  station, 
and  herseK.  Indeed  we  sometimes  thought,  that  even 
before  men  she  was  not  humbled,  and  this  became  a 
source  of  much  anxiety  to  the  missionaries.  But,  after 
a  time,  there  was  a  visible  improvement  in  her  outward 
behaviour.  She  attended  religious  services  most  regularly. 
Her  appearance  now  is  that  of  a  broken-hearted  sister. 
Any  one  who  had  seen  her  bitter  tears,  when  she  spoke  to 
me  about  her  state  before  God,  and  said  how  she  desired 
to  seek  the  Lord,  would  have  found  it  in  his  heart  to 
speak  to  her  the  words  of  Him  who  came  to  bind  up  the 
broken-hearted,  to  proclaim  liberty  to  the  captives,  and 
the  opening  of  the  prison  to  them  that  are  bound,  when 
He  said,  'Neither  do  I  condemn  thee;  go  and  sin  no 
more.'  It  is  now  about  three  months  since  she  sought 
admission  into  the  class  of  inquirers,  and  her  entire 
outward  walk  corresponds  with  what  she  professes  and 
seems  to  feel. 


IN   HARNESS.  173 

"  There  are  other  two  or  three  persons  over  whom  we 
are  anxiously  watching.  About  them  I  must  say  nothing 
just  now.  I  desire  always  to  be  cautious  in  reporting 
those  who  are  apparently  under  religious  impressions.  I 
do  not  wish  to  raise  expectations  in  the  hearts  of  God's 
people,  which  ma}^  not  be  fully  realized." 

As  time  passed,  the  station  increased,  until  in  1859 
Tiyo  Soga  was  able  to  record  the  fact  that  there  was  a 
population  of  nearly  4000  around  the  Mgwali.  Out- 
stations  were  established,  the  eldership  was  increased, 
a  systematic  itineracy  was  carried  on,  the  prospect  was 
brightening,  and  the  most  fondly  cherished  hopes  were 
being  gradually  but  steadily  realized. 

In  a  letter  of  date  February  9, 1859,  he  gives  an  account 
of  an  itineration  in  the  district  of  the  Thomas  River,  which 
had  been  previously  visited,  and  which  must  serve  as  a 
specimen  of  this  kind  of  missionary  work : — "  When  first 
we  visited  the  Thomas  Kiver  district,  it  had  shared  the 
fate  of  nearly  all  Kafiiiand  after  the  delusion  of  the  pro- 
phet, and  had  very  few  inhabitants.  In  our  second  visit, 
however,  it  presented  a  very  difierent  aspect.  A  portion 
of  the  tribe  of  Oba,  the  son  of  Tyali,  the  son  of  Gaika, 
had  come  to  it  from  a  district  lying  north  of  the  Thomas 
Hiver.  The  Government  system  of  concentration  was  in 
operation  here,  for  we  found  the  people  grouped  together 
into  small  settlements.  The  largest  of  these  contained  41 
huts,  and  according  to  the  usual  mode  of  estimating  the 
number  of  people  at  a  kraal,  by  assigning  five  individuals 
to  each  hut,  it  would  have  about  205  inhabitants.  A 
goodly  number  of  Oba's  tribe  did  not  slaughter  their 
cattle,  and  therefore  we  saw  considerable  herds  of  line 
cattle.  They  were,  however,  sufiering  much  from  the 
failure  of  their  last  season's  crops.     It  was  pleasing  to 


174  TIYO   SOGA. 

see  that  adversity  was  proving  a  good  schoolmaster,  by 
teachinof  them  industrious  habits.  Although  it  was  the 
month  of  September,  signs  of  extensive  cultivation  were 
everjnvhere  apparent. 

"  The  location,  in  which  we  passed  the  first  night, 
numbered  33  huts,  and  was  under  the  superintendence  of 
Kaka,  a  councillor  of  Oba.  He  received  us  kindly,  and 
knew  our  elders  well.  It  was  among  Tyali's  tribe  that 
the  late  Mr.  Clialmers,  and  subsequently  Mr.  Gumming 
laboured.  Kaka  therefore  recognized  in  us  the  represen- 
tatives of  his  old  teachers.  The  prospect  of  establishing 
a  mission  at  the  Thomas  River  pleased  him  well.  In 
another  of  the  settlements  I  found  remnants  of  the  former 
inhabitants  of  Uniondale. 

"  Kaka  is  one  of  those  men  who,  at  considerable  risk  of 
life  and  property,  refused  to  slaughter  their  cattle.  Like 
all  those  who  kept  their  wits  about  them  during  the 
well-known  time  of  Kafir  folly  and  infatuation,  he  puts 
considerable  emphasis  on  his  steadiness  and  courage. 
When  we  asked  him  why  he  refused  to  comply  with 
the  command  of  the  prophet,  he  replied  that  '  the  prophet 
and  the  chiefs  began  by  requiring  us  to  kill  our  cattle, 
before  they  raised  from  the  dead  our  forefathers,  chiefs, 
and  cattle.'  This,  as  a  sensible  man,  did  not  satisfy  him. 
In  the  morning,  according  to  previous  arrangement,  we 
held  service  with  the  people  of  Kaka's  location.  Owing 
to  many  of  them  rising  early  in  search  of  roots  for  food, 
and  also  to  watch  their  gardens,  our  audience  consisted 
of  only  31  persons. 

"  Kaka  had  six  wives.  He  exercised  the  authority  of  a 
despot  over  them.  This,  even  in  our  presence,  he  did  not 
take  pains  to  conceal.  Shortly  after  our  service,  he  broke 
out  into  a  violent  rage  against  one  of  them  who  had 


IN   HARNESS.  175 

offended  him  by  her  t:dk.  From  some  of  the  expressions 
that  escaped  his  lips,  it  was  easy  to  see  that  in  these  hard 
times  he  found  the  number  inconveniently  large  for  one 
man  to  support.  He  concluded  his  long  tirade  against 
her  by  saying  she  must  instantly  be  quiet,  for  he  felt 
the  inclination  rather  strong  to  reduce  their  number.  In 
point  of  fact,  the  institutions  of  his  country  left  him  no 
alternative,  for  he  was  bound  to  maintain  his  wives.  As 
he  is  a  man  of  some  importance,  it  is  likely  his  wives  were 
daughters  of  men  of  equal  rank  as  himself  in  the  tribe. 
Even  in  these  hard  times,  were  he  to  abandon  them,  in 
order  to  escape  the  charge  of  insulting  his  fathers-in-law, 
he  would  have  required  to  make  reparation  for  their 
wounded  feelings  in  a  very  clear,  tangible,  decisive  form. 
Our  itinerating  tour  extended  over  three  days,  during 
which  we  had  numerous  opportunities  of  unfolding  the 
message  of  life  to  men  who  were  in  very  destitute  cir- 
cumstances, spiritually  and  physically.  They  heard  us 
willingly." 

Tiyo's  Journal  at  this  time  contains  somewhat  minute 
details  of  his  work  at  his  immediate  station,  as  also  in 
the  surrounding  district,  where  there  were  now  a  mixed 
population  of  Kafirs  and  Fingoes.  An  out-station,  eight 
miles  distant,  was  fast  springing  into  significance,  and  a 
school  was  established  there  of  an  elementary  character. 
The  following  extract  from  this  Journal  records  the  death 
of  one  of  the  members  of  his  church,  and  shows  the 
marvellous  power  of  the  Gospel.  It  is  but  one  of  those 
countless  instances  of  the  triumphs  of  Divine  gi-ace  in  the 
mission  field : — "  Dukwana,  one  of  our  elders,  has  lately  lost 
his  wife.  A  happier  end  I  have  never  seen.  After  speak- 
ing and  engaging  in  prayer  with  her,  she  said  she  wished 
to  say  something  with  reference  to  her  illness.     She  then 


176  TIYO   SOGA. 

said  she  felt  herself  getting  weaker  every  day,  but  that 
everything  had  been  done  which  possibly  could  be  done 
for  her.  '  I  have  already/  she  said,  '  given  myself  to  the 
Lord  in  believing ;  I  have  given  myseK  over  to  Him,  and 
am  entirely  waiting  His  will.  If  I  live  it  is  well ;  if  I  die 
it  is  well.' 

"  9th  August,  1859. — At  half-past  one  o'clock  this  after- 
noon Notasse,  Dukwana's  wife,  departed  this  life.  I  was 
a  witness  of  the  last  conflict  with  the  last  enemy,  and  I 
bless  God  that  I  was  there.  From  the  previous  night  till 
within  half  an  hour  before  she  died  she  had  been  insen- 
sible. Suddenly  there  was  a  remarkable,  short,  lucid 
interval,  and  her  last  words  were  spoken  to  me  during 
that  brief  interval  of  consciousness.  For  a  minute  or  two 
we  could  not  understand  what  she  said ;  we  only  heard 
the  name  of  God  uttered  distinctly.  Then  she  said  in  a 
low  whisper,  which  produced  the  stillness  of  death  itseK 
among  all  present,  '  Tell  me  who  that  person  is  that  is 
speaking.'  '  The  teacher,'  was  the  reply.  '  Who  ?  Tiyo  V 
she  inquired  again ;  '  come  and  let  me  salute  you,  my 
teacher;  I  was  hitheiiio  waiting  for  you.'  She  never 
uttered  a  syllable  more  on  earth.  I  pressed  her  cold  hand 
in  mine.  In  half  an  hour  after  she  calmly  and  peacefully 
fell  asleep.  A  greater  pattern  of  simple  unwavering  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus,  of  patient  uncomplaining  sufiering,  it 
has  never  been  my  privilege  to  witness.  Months  before, 
she  calmly  anticipated  the  day  of  her  departure.  Notasse 
joined  the  church  under  the  ministry  of  the  late  Mr. 
Chalmers,  with  whom  she  is  now  singing  the  song  of 
Moses  and  the  Lamb.  She  was  baptized  by  Mr.  Chalmers, 
along  with  Festire.  Her  husband  was  'in  Christ'  before 
her.  One  of  the  grandest  arguments  for  the  adaptability 
of  the  Gospel  to  the  spiritual  wants  of  all  men  is,  that 


IN   HARNESS.  177 

it  produces  the  same  blessed  fruits  of  faith,  love,  comfort, 
joy,  and  peace  in  the  savage  and  untutored,  which  it 
produces  in  the  civilised  and  the  learned." 

The  presence  of  Tiyo  Soga  in  the  mission  field  was  now 
beginning  to  be  felt  beyond  the  range  of  his  own  imme- 
diate neighbourhood,  for  he  was   repeatedly  invited  to 
preach  in  the  Colony  at  church  openings,  and  at  the  anni- 
versaries of  some  European  congregations.     The  Colonists 
were  ready  to  give  him  a  willing  ear.     "  I  have  met,"  he 
wiites  to  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Cumming,  "  with  a  reception  in 
this  colony  which,  as  I  did  not  expect  it,  has  truly  aston- 
ished me.    I  have  now  preached  to  crowded  congregations 
in    Port   Elizabeth,   Uitenhage,   Grahamstown,   Bedford, 
« Alice,  and  Kins:  William's  Town.     At  the  last-mentioned 
place,  where  I  preached  a  few  Sabbaths  ago,  I  was  obliged 
to  wait  over  the  Monday  evening  meeting,  and  make  a 
speech.     There  was  a  small  incident  connected  with  the 
Sabbath  evening  service  which  I  must   tell   you,  as  I 
think   it   will   please   you.      During   my  stay  in   King 
William's  Town  I  slept  at  Mr.  George  Blaine's,  but  I 
breakfasted,  dined,  and  supped  at  the  Bev.  G.  Chapman's. 
On   Monday  morning   I   was    introduced   to   a   Mr.   P., 
whom  I  found  at  Mr.  Chapman's.     This  gentleman  rose 
a  few  minutes  after  I  had  seated  myself  in  the  room, 
and  in  a  most  graceful  manner   presented  me   with  a 
beautiful   volume   of    Bobinson's   Besearches    in    Pales- 
tine and  Latrobe's  Scripture  Illustrations,  each  volume 
bearing    the    following    inscription  : — '  The    Be  v.    Tiyo 
Soga,  upon  hearing  the  first  sermon  preached  by  him, 
on  the  8th  November,   1857,  at  King  William's  Town. 
From  an  Old  Besident.— J.  H.  P.'      I  must  say  that  I 
was  never  more  taken  by  surprise  than  by  this  incident. 
T  preached  to  an  overflowing  audience.      My  text  was 


178  TIYO  SOGA. 

Hebrews  xi.  16,  first  clause— '  But  now  they  desire  a 
better  country,  that  is  an  heavenly,'  and  at  the  close 
I  made  an  allusion  to  the  circumstances  which  brought 
us  together." 

These  occasional  visits  to  the  Colonial  churches  had  a 
twofold  influence  for  good.  They  shook  if  they  did  not 
altogether  dissipate  that  feeling  which  made  him  imagine 
that  Colonists  generally  were  hostile  to  him,  being,  as  he 
characterised  them  "  prejudiced  and  critical  white  men;" 
they  likewise  secured  an  intimacy  with  men,  who  learned 
to  love  and  respect  him,  the  closer  they  were  brought 
into  contact  with  him.  This  he  himself  acknowledges 
in  a  letter  to  the  same  brother: — "I  was  unavoidably 
detained  a  whole  week  in  East  London.  My  time,  » 
however,  was  not  lost  there,  for  I  found  very  good  friends, 
and  formed  the  acquaintance  of  a  very  excellent  man,  Mr. 
Greenstock,  the  missionary  clergyman  of  the  Church  of 
Enc-land.  Settinfr  aside  the  conventional  rules  of  Church- 
ism,  he  asked  me  to  preach  for  him  on  the  Sabbath.  I 
said  to  him,  '  You  know,  Mr.  Greenstock,  I  am  a  Dissenter. 
Can  you  really  ask  me  to  preach  for  you  ?  I  am  willing,' 
continued  I,  '  to  serve  the  good  cause,  as  opportunity  offers; 
still  I  would  not  like  to  do  anything  that  might  compro- 
mise your  position  and  influence  among  the  members  of 
the  Church  of  England  here.'  He  had  fully  considered 
what  he  was  doing ;  and  though  he  maintained  his  own 
connnunion  to  be  the  best,  he  nevertheless  held  fellowship 
with  all  who  loved  the  Lord  Jesus,  quoting  the  well- 
known  words  of  the  Apostle,  '  One  Lord,  one  faith,  one 
bajjtism.'  I  found  him  to  be  a  most  estimable  man,  and  a 
truly  devoted  missionary.  He  has  been  four  years  in  the 
country,  and  speaks  the  Kaflr  language  well.  He  expects 
to  go  to  the  Keiskama  Hoek,  a  place  of  melancholy  inte- 


IN   HARNESS.  179 

rest  to  me,  where  his  influence  will  be  much  extended  for 
the  benefit  of  the  natives.  I  sincerely  trust  that  his  suc- 
cess there  may  be  greater  than  mine  was,  before  the  war 
of  1850." 

In  what  striking  contrast  to  the  incident  above  recorded, 
— which  occurred  in  King  William's  Town,  where,  after 
preaching  to  a  crowded  congregation,  composed  of  Cape 
Colonists,  one  of  his  hearers,  on  the  Monday  morning, 
unable  to  restrain  his  gratitude  for  the  sermon  preached, 
testifies  to  the  pleasure  with  which  he  had  listened  to  the 
Kafir  preacher, — is  the  following,  written  shortly  there- 
after from  the  Emgwali : — "  We  are  holding  on  pretty 
well,"  writes  Tiyo  Soga ;  "  there  is  a  good  deal  of  famine 
still.  Our  people  are  giving  good  pledges  of  an  extensive 
cultivation,  which  is  the  only  bulwark  against  the  invin- 
cible assaults  of  grim  famine.  Yesterday  was  Sabbath,  but 
what  a  Sabbath  !  All  the  men  were  away  following  the 
s^poor  of  six  goats,  stolen  by  thieves  from  my  brother's 
kraal ;  four  of  these  were  my  own,  two  being  milch  goats, 
which  I  had  just  purchased  to  supply  our  boy  with  milk, 
and  so  he  has  had  to  live  on  charity.  This  morning 
(Monday),  however,  to  our  joy,  they  returned  with  all 
mine.  They  also  brought  a  lad,  who  is  the  principal 
thief;  his  three  associates  defied  pursuit,  in  consequence 
of  the  inaccessibility  of  the  Ncememe,  where  there  is  a 
large  nest  of  thieves.  We  sent  the  lad  to  Mr.  Brownlee, 
to  whom  we  hope  he  will  give  such  information  as  may 
ultimately  lead  to  the  apprehension  of  the  ringleaders. 
It  was  not  known  that  there  were  so  many  thieves 
about  the  Kei,  hence  a  large  commando,  consisting  of 
Sandilli,  Makubalo  (the  Fingoe  chief),  the  police,  and 
our  own  people,  is  to  be  organised,  to  endeavour  to 
dislodge  them." 


ISO  TIYO  SOGA. 

The  only  ojlimpse  we  get  at  this  time  into  his  domestic 
life,  is  the  announcement  to  a  friend  of  the  birth  of  his 
eldest  child  on  5th  January,  1858 ;  and  in  doing  so  he 
writes  that  "  the  son  is  as  noble  a  specimen  of  young 
humanity  as  I  could  wish  to  see.  The  little  fellow  is 
thriving  amazingly.  With  reference  to  mother  and  child, 
I  may  gratefully  say,  '  The  Lord  hath  been  mindful  of 
me.'  I  have  named  my  infant  son  William  Anderson, 
after  my  friend  the  Doctor,  and  his  lamented  son.  May 
he  inherit  the  virtues  and  the  genius  of  both."  A  few 
months  later,  acknowledging  the  congratulations  of  this 
friend,  he  says :  "  And  so  this  poor  little  fellow  of  mine 
has  been  the  subject  of  speculation  as  to  his  probable 
colour  and  complexion  !  The  curiosity  was  very  natural 
indeed.  Why,  the  boy,  with  only  a  very  slight  tinge, 
inherits  his  mother's  complexion.  As  for  his  hair,  I  shall 
enclose  a  lock  of  it  for  you,  so  that  interested  friends  may 
see  for  themselves !  It  is  all  life,  and  is  already  a  very 
considerable  item  in  the  cup  of  our  domestic  happiness. 
I  have  also  had  a  slight  experience  of  paternal  care. 
When  his  mother  was  ill,  I  had  both  to  nurse  him 
and  minister  to  his  comfort.  What  do  you  think  of 
this  as  an  illustration  of  parental  happiness — sitting  up 
all  night  with  open  eyes,  having  an  infant  on  your 
knees,  until  four  o'clock  in  the  mornino^,  and  hearing 
nothing  but  the  constant  wail  of  the  little  stranger  ?" 
This  illustration  of  paternal  solicitude,  which  shows 
that  human  nature  is  the  same  everywhere  and  in  all 
nations,  seems  to  have  possessed  some  charms  to  him, 
for,  in  writing  to  another  friend  about  the  same  date, 
he  says : — "  I  am  expecting  that  b}"  this  time  you  have 
multiplied  yourself  by  one,  as  regards  a  better  half, 
and   bidden  adieu   to   'single  blessedness,'   which  is  the 


IN   HARNESS.  181 

cheerless  region  of  misanthropic  and  dead-hearted  men. 
Were  you  to  see  my  young  William  Anderson,  full  of 
youthful  spirits,  and  making  us  laugh  for  very  joy,  you 
would,  I  think,  be  tempted  to  cut  short  your  deliberations 
and  speculations.  The  youth  is  very  well,  and  some  day, 
if  God  spares  him,  you  may  see  him  in  Scotland.  If  this 
should  take  place,  I  am  sure  you  will  be  kind  to  him  for 
his  father's  sake." 

In  the  year  1859  Tiyo  Soga's  fellow-labourer,  Mr.  John- 
ston, received  and  accepted  an  invitation  to  the  pastorate 
of  the  Independent  Congregation,  worshipping  in  Trinity 
Church,  Grahamstown.  This  congregation  had  just  lost 
the  brilliant  ministry  of  the  Rev.  W.  Y.  Thomson,  who  had 
formerly  been  a  missionary  in  the  interior.  From  its  com- 
mencement this  congregation  had  taken  a  warm  and  lively 
interest  in  mission  work.  This  had  especially  been  the 
case  during  the  incumbency  of  the  late  Rev.  John  Locke 
(Mr.  Thomson's  predecessor),  a  man  faithful  above  many, 
and  an  intimate  associate  of  the  past  generation  of  African 
missionaries.  In  calling  Mr.  Johnston,  therefore,  this 
church  was  but  perpetuating  its  zeal  in  mission  work. 
Mr.  Johnston,  after  much  anxiety,  felt  it  to  be  his  duty  to 
remove  to  Grahamstown,  convinced  that  from  his  position 
he  would  be  able  to  induce  the  colonists  to  identify  them- 
selves with  mission  work.  Tiyo  Soga  had  no  sooner 
returned  to  South  Africa,  than  he  became  painfully 
impressed  with  the  fact  that  a  wide  gulf  existed  between 
his  own  mission  and  European  Christian  work  among  the 
colonists.  He  therefore  repeatedly  expressed  the  opinion 
that  this  gulf  could  only  be  bridged  over  by  the  settle- 
ment, in  the  various  colonial  towns,  of  Presbyterian  min- 
isters who  had  the  best  interests  of  mission  work  at  heart. 
Other  denominations  had  successfully  linked  colonial  and 


182  TITO  SOGA. 

native  work ;  and  why  could  not  the  Presbyterian  do  the 
same,  instead  of  isolating  itself  by  devoting  its  energies 
to  native  work  exclusively  ?  Moreover,  if  Presbyterian 
missions  desire  ultimately  to  be  independent  of  the  mother 
church,  it  is  well  to  elicit  the  sympathies  of  the  colonists. 
If  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  had  had  European 
congregations  in  the  Colony,  the  disasters  which  befel  the 
mission  in  1850  mifrht  not  have  occurred.  Of  these  facts 
Messrs.  Johnston  and  Soga  were  convinced.  But  though 
they  had  talked  much  on  these  points,  neither  of  them 
supposed  that  one  would  soon  be  asked  to  make  the 
venture. 

Whilst  labouring  heart  and  soul,  Mr.  Johnston 
received  a  call  to  GrahamstoAvn.  He  considered  it, 
prayed  over  it,  and  ultimately  felt  it  to  be  his  duty 
to  go.  Tiyo  Soga  felt  it  keenly  at  first  as  a  great 
loss  to  the  mission  to  the  Gaikas,  to  the  station,  and  to 
himself;  but  he  was  not  biassed  by  mere  feeling.  Mr. 
Johnston  had  acted  according  to  conviction,  and  no  man 
ought  to  interfere.  "  I  know  him  too  well,"  Soga  writes, 
"  to  think  anything  else  than  that  he  will  hold  the 
balances  evenly  between  Trinity  Church  and  Kafirland, 
and  decide  conscientiously.  It  is  a  matter  between 
Brother  Johnston  and  his  Master." 

When  Mr.  Johnston  removed  to  Grahamstown,  the 
Committee  on  Foreign  Missions  of  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church  asked  the  Grahamstown  conofreaation  to 
"  repay  the  sums  that  had  been  expended  on  Mr.  John- 
ston's outfit,  passage,  and  travel."  Although  these  two 
brethren  were  separated,  in  so  far  as  their  spheres  of 
labour  were  concerned,  they  continued,  as  before,  the 
same  attached  friends.  The  love  which  they  mutually 
cherished    was    as    stronf]r   as   that   betwixt  David   and 


IN    HARNESS.  183 

Jonathan.  No  two  men  confided  more  in  each  other, 
and  unbosomed  more  fully  their  individual  difficulties 
and  trials,  than  did  Robert  Johnston  and  Tiyo  Soga. 
There  was  no  more  welcome  preacher  in  Trinit}^  Church 
than  Tiyo  Soga ;  and  none  more  cheerfully  responded  to 
the  invitation  to  occupy  its  pulpit  when  occasion  required. 
On  the  other  hand,  all  who  know  Mr.  Johnston,  whether 
in  the  Cape  Colony  or  out  of  it,  can  testify  that  what 
the  Gaika  Kafirs  lost  in  his  withdrawal  from  their  tribe 
has  been  amply  recompensed,  by  his  unwearied  practical 
efforts  for  the  mission  cause.  Colonial  work  was  his 
sphere ;  and  he  has  largely  elicited  the  co-operation  and 
sympathy  of  his  fellow-colonists  on  behalf  of  mission  work 
among  the  natives. 

Tiyo  Soga  is  now  about  to  enter  single-handed  into 
his  arduous  labours,  and  the  most  fitting  conclusion  to 
this  chapter  is  the  following  extract  of  a  letter,  dated 
"  Grahamstown,  3rd  October,  1859. — I  came  here,"  he 
writes,  "  with  Mr.  Govan,  of  Lovedale,  to  take  part  in  the 
services  connected  with  Mr.  Johnston's  introduction  to  his 
Grahamstown  church.  T  feel  sorry  that  the  Board  should 
have  spoken  so  decidedly  against  the  step  taken  by  Mi*. 
Johnston.  I  do  not,  of  course,  mean  to  act  the  part  of 
an  advocate  for  him.  I  truly  wish  he  had  remained  in 
Kafiraria.  His  departure  was  to  me  a  great  trial,  as  we 
have  always  worked  together  cordially,  and  in  harmony. 
But  I  cannot  shut  my  eyes  to  the  importance  of  the 
natives  having  representatives  and  advocates  in  the 
Colony,  and  especially  in  Grahamstown,  where  the  feeling 
was  formerly  so  strong  against  them.  The  feeling  still 
exists :  but  my  coming  into  the  country,  and  preaching 
with  a  degTee  of  acceptance,  of  which  also  Sir  George 
Grey  gave  a  flattering  notice,  has  somewhat  lessened  it. 


184  TIYO   SOGA. 

Unless  I  am  greatly  deceived,  my  friend,  Mr.  Johnston, 
will  do  something  for  the  interests  of  the  poor  black 
people  here.  His  people  know  his  missionary  spirit  and 
his  s;yTnpathy  with  the  natives.  In  the  long  run,  God 
blessing  his  efforts,  I  anticipate  not  a  little  assistance 
from  Brother  Johnston.  The  step  which  he  has  taken 
has  also  been  approved  of  by  competent  men  in  connec- 
tion with  its  influence  upon  the  natives.  I  trust  that  he 
will  be  supported  in  his  work  here  by  the  Master." 


CHAPTER     XIII 


CHURCH  BUILDING. 


Whatsoever  thy  hand  findeth  to  do,  do  it  with  thy  might ;  for  there  is  no 
ork,  nor  device,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wisdom  in  the  grave  whither  thou  goest." 
"Behold  I  build  an  house  to  the  name  of  the  Lord  my  God,  to  dedicate  it 
to  Him." 

Towards  the  close  of  1859  we  have  the  Kafir  missionary- 
alone,  and  yet  not  alone,  among  his  own  tribe,  and  at  a 
settlement  of  Fingoes  who  had  been  located  near  the 
Mgwali.  The  small  unpretentious  place  of  worship  could 
not  now  accommodate  the  grooving  numbers,  although 
it  had  been  enlarged  by  the  removal  of  a  partition  wall. 
Moreover,  as  a  temporary  building  composed  of  material 
afiected  by  unfavourable  weather,  it  was  a  constant  source 
of  trouble  and  expense.  It  required  to  be  replastered 
after  every  soaking  rain,  or  sharp  thundershower.  The 
interior  also  was  a  place  for  doing  penance  in,  as  the  seats 
were  rough,  rude,  low  forms,  very  narrow,  and  with  no 
support  for  the  back.  A  worshipper  in  that  church  on  a 
hot  sultry  day  required  a  large  amount  of  patience,  the 
exercise  of  which  must  have  detracted  very  much  from 
his  devotion.  It  became  evident  to  Tiyo  Soga,  therefore, 
that  he  must  either  cease  inviting  his  countrymen  to 
come  to  church  on  Sundays,  from  want  of  space,  or  that 
he  must  have  a  larger  and  more  commodious  building. 
The  latter  alternative  he  chose.  His  letters  at  this  date 
are  so  full  of  details  as  to  the  various  steps  adopted,  that 


186  TIYO   SOGA. 

it  is  well  to  hear  his  own  account  of  the  progress  of  the 
building,  the  assistance  which  he  received  from  men  of  all 
classes,  and  the  unwearied  self-denial  which  he  exercised 
towards  its  erection. 

He  first  of  all  endeavoured  to  arouse  his  own  people  to  a 
sense  of  their  duty;  but  his  efforts  were  not  very  successful. 
They  had  lately  experienced  the  gnawings  of  famine,  and 
many  were  still  in  great  poverty  ;  moreover  they  had  not 
been  trained  to  do  much  towards  the  support  of  mission 
work.  He  then  appealed  to  the  Colony,  visited  Grahams- 
town  and  Port  Elizabeth,  and  other  places,  and  pled  his 
own  cause.  His  reception  far  exceeded  his  most  sanguine 
expectations,  and  greatly  dispelled  his  suspicion  that 
Christian  men  in  the  Colony  were  not  well  disposed 
towards  him.  On  1st  November,  1859,  he  writes : — "  Our 
Sabbath  meetings  are  splendid,  and  it  would  do  your 
heart  good  to  see  them.  Our  little  church,  constructed  to 
contain  200  people,  was  lately  enlarged  in  order  to  accom- 
modate 50  or  60  more,  and  still  it  is  too  small.  The  Mgwali 
is  now  a  large  station,  and  is  constantly  getting  accessions 
to  its  numbers.  I  think  that  I  have  now  found  my  way 
into  the  hearts  of  our  people,  and  thank  God.  The  sur- 
rounding population  is  composed  of  Fingoes  and  Kafirs. 
The  docility  of  the  former  is  as  remarkable  as  is  the 
indifference  of  the  latter.  May  God  have  mercy  on  them 
both ! " 

Then  follows  a  lengthy  report  addressed  to  the  Rev.  Dr. 
Somerville,  giving  a  minute  description  of  the  Umgwali 
(dated  6th  February,  I860,),  showing  the  increase  of  the 
station,  the  progress  of  the  work,  the  attendance  at 
church,  and  the  necessity  for  a  larger  place  of  worship. 
As  this  report  contains  several  interesting  incidents,  we 
give  some  extracts  from  it: — "And  now,  "he  writes,  "to 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  187 

come  to  that  point  which  forms  the  greatest  interest  in 
foreign  missions,  viz.,  the  progress  of  the  gospel  in  the 
conversion  of  sinners,  and  the  increase  of  the  members 
of  the  body  of  Christ.  During  the  past  year  there  were 
added  to  the  church  five  persons,  the  first-fruits  of  the 
mission.  In  my  opinion  that  which  forms  an  index  of 
good  being  done  by  the  blessing  of  God  is  the  state  of  the 
inquirers'  class,  which  is  now  attended  by  30  persons.  I 
am  not  without  hope  that  others  will  soon  join  us.  There 
are  evidences  of  a  good  work  going  on,  and  I  trust  that  it 
is  genuine,  and  from  God.  Some,  seriously  impressed,  are 
from  the  ranks  of  those  who  suffered  from  the  late  famine. 
I  trust  that  they  are  of  the  '  other  sheep,'  which  Jesus' 
the  Good  Shepherd,  no  doubt,  had  even  among  the 
Kafirs,  and  is  now  gathering  into  His  fold.  It  is  really 
refreshing  to  see  people,  who  were  so  lately  sunk  in 
heathenism,  coming  forward  to  avow  their  desire  to  for- 
sake sin  and  serve  Christ.  When  asked  why  they  have  come 
to  the  missionary,  their  answer  often  touches  me, '  It  is 
our  sins.'  A  sense  of  the  awfulness  of  transgression  against 
God,  is  one  of  the  characteristics  of  repentance.  The  state 
of  the  church  is  upon  the  whole  satisfactory;  but  I  am  sorry 
to  record  that  I  have  a  very  bad  case  of  church-discipline 
now  pending.  The  sin  of  which  this  person  is  guilty  is 
the  bane  of  the  native  churches  in  this  land." 

In  referring  to  the  attendance  at  the  Sabbath  services,  a 
few  extracts  may  be  made  from  his  Journal : — "  Lord's 
Day,  Srd  December,  1859.  A  beautiful  day  !  Witnessed  a 
fine  sight  of  a  company  of  people,  some  dressed,  others  in 
their  blankets,  making  their  way  towards  the  house  of  God, 
from  the  Bolo  and  head  of  the  Cwengcana.  The  house 
was  crowded  to  excess;  and  some  could  not  get  in  although 
I  used  my  best  efforts  to  make  room  for  them.     Lord's 


188  TIYO  SOGA. 

Day,  1st  January,  1860.  An  interesting  Sabbath  !  I  had 
an  unusually  large  attendance  of  red  Fingoes  from  the 
Izitolana — a  place  ten  miles  east  of  this — from  the  Tyolohi, 
and  from  the  Umofwali,  some  distance  down  the  river. 
The  services  were  solemn.  At  the  first  Kafir  service,  I 
preached  from  Jeremiah  xxviii.  16  ;  then,  in  English,  from 
Psalm  xc.  9.  The  third  service  was  devotional,  partly 
thanksgiving  and  partly  supplicatory.  The  season  for 
a  few  weeks  past  has  been  very  dry,  and  we  are  getting 
anxious  about  the  harvest.  It  was  well  that  the  heathen 
Fingoes  were  present  at  this  service,  as  they  had  come 
from  the  districts  that  lately  were  guilty  of  great  and 
wilful  cruelty  in  order,  as  they  vainly  imagined,  to  obtain 
rain.  It  appears  that  the  men,  belonging  to  these 
districts,  collected  their  horses  and  spent  a  whole  day 
in  chasing  a  large  species  of  scavenger  bird,  the  buzzard. 
They  succeeded  in  catching  six  of  them  and  having  tied 
stones  to  each  of  these  harmless  birds  drowned  them  in 
deep  pools  of  water.  This  was  their  cruel  device  to  obtain 
rain.  Yet  these  people  are  not  ignorant  of  the  living  and 
true  God.  They  know  Him,  and  acknowledge  His  power 
and  goodness  when  we  speak  to  them.  I  was  very  much 
touched  by  Tohes  prayer  at  this  service : — '  Lord  we  are 
ashamed  to  venture  into  Thy  presence,  to  ask  again. 
Thou  heardest  our  cry.  Thou  didst  send  us  rain  abun- 
dantly. But  no  sooner  did  it  seem  too  much  to  us  than 
we  began  to  speak,  and  to  complain  unadvisedly  about 
the  frequency  of  its  falling.  Here  we  are  again  before 
Thee  about  rain.  Lord,  were  there  ever  more  troublesome 
beings  than  we  are  ? ' 

"  The  state  of  the  heathen  around  is  very  interesting. 
The  Kafirs,  my  own  countrymen,  are  still  careless  and 
manifest  only  outward   respect  for  the  word.     Sandilli, 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  189 

swayed  too  much  by  evil  advisers,  I  was  afraid  was  retro- 
grading; but  by  a  sudden  impulse,  one  of  the  characteristics 
of  a  weak  mind,  he  has  again  begun  to  take  an  interest  in 
the  station.  Of  his  own  accord,  he  lately  placed  under  my 
charge  his  favourite  daughter  Victoria,  the  true  Princess 
Royal  of  Kafirland.  She  is  a  girl  of  a  very  pleasing 
appearance,  exceedingly  mild  and  gentle.  She  is  11  years 
of  age,  and  rather  delicate.  She  was  accompanied  by  a 
companion,  whom  I  was  obliged  to  receive  also,  for  the 
sake  of  her  royal  companion.  Victoria,  being  a  great 
favourite  at  home,  will  require  tact  in  her  management  to 
reconcile  her  to  our  habits  and  restraints.  However  I  have 
great  hopes  because  of  her  mild  and  modest  demeanour. 
Her  father  wishes  her  to  be  taught.  This  is  one  of  several 
of  his  children  whom  Sandilli  wishes  to  be  educated.  I 
hope  he  will  be  led  to  see  the  unhappiness  of  his  own 
state. 

"  At  a  meeting  lately  held  by  Mr.  Brownlee  with  the 
Kafirs  and  Fingoes,  to  give  them  seasonable  advice, 
Sandilli,  at  the  head  of  his  people,  in  concluding  his 
speech  of  thanks,  and  making  reference  to  the  truthfulness 
of  Mr.  Brownlee's  words  regarding  the  necessity  of  chang- 
ing their  old  ways  and  manner  of  life,  said : — '  Down, 
therefore,  all  of  you  upon  your  knees,  pray,  and  be  all 
converted.'  He  was  serious  for  the  moment.  Towards 
the  close  of  the  meeting  I  was  requested  to  give  a  short 
address.  I  had  a  noble  audience  of  about  1000  red  Kafirs 
and  Fingoes,  and  I  spoke  from  the  words :  '  The  times  of 
this  ignorance  God  winked  at,'  &c. 

"Another  chief  takes  an  interest  in  the  station  and 
regularly  attends  our  Sabbath  services.  This  is  Fynu, 
the  son  of  Tyali  and  grandson  of  Gaika,  and  nephew  to 
Sandilli.     He  has  a  large  section  of  the  Gaika  tribe  under 


190  TIYO  SOGA. 

his  rule.  He  is  an  exceedingly  amiable  young  man.  May 
God  also  incline  his  heart  to  that  which  is  good,  that  he 
may  seek  and  find  an  interest  in  the  great  salvation  !  He 
is  surrounded  by  some  very  bad  councillors,  who  secretly 
use  their  influence  to  dissuade  him  from  becoming  a 
'  believer,'  a  step  which  some  of  the  heathen  view  with 
horror,  and  as  equivalent  to  becoming  worse  than  useless, 
so  far  as  being  a  man  is  concerned. 

"  But  my  greatest  source  of  encouragement  in  labouring 
among  the  heathen  is  from  the  Fingoes.  With  few  excep- 
tions they  manifest  a  docility  and  willingness  to  hear  the 
word.  The  largest  number  of  the  heathen  who  attend  the 
Sabbath  services  are  Fingoes.  In  itinerating  among  my 
countrymen,  the  Kafirs,  one  requires  a  large  degree  of 
courage  to  go  from  hut  to  hut,  and  bring  out  to  service 
the  reluctant  inmates.  Were  this  not  done  we  would 
wait  long  for  an  audience.  I  have  not  found  it  necessary 
to  do  this  among  the  Fingoes.  By  simply  asking  the 
head  man  of  the  kraal  to  collect  his  children,  the  people  of 
his  village,  this  is  done  readily,  and  I  have  seen  the  head 
man  himself,  of  his  own  accord,  going  round  the  huts  and 
bringing  out  the  people.  On  visiting  one  of  the  Fingoe 
districts  Nkata  the  head  man  was  not  at  home,  and  I  left 
word  that  I  would  soon  retura.  I  was  much  pleased  with 
an  incident,  insignificant  though  it  be,  which  indicated 
the  man's  feelings  towards  the  missionar}^  Tn  anticipation 
of  my  second  visit  he  had  ordered  one  of  his  people  to 
convert  a  small  block  of  wood  into  a  rude  four-legged 
stool.  When  I  arrived  the  carpenter,  whose  only  tool  was 
a  very  blunt  axe,  had  not  completed  his  task.  Nevertheless 
Nkata  handed  me  the  stool,  and  I  sat  on  it,  and  thanked 
him  for  such  a  certain  proof  of  his  welcome  to  me  and  my 
message.     He  has  17  kraals  under  his  charge. 


CHURCH  BUILDING.  191 

"  Most  of  the  Fingoes  manifest  a  very  pleasing  regard  for 
the  Lord's  day.  They  abstain  from  work.  Some  of  them, 
indeed,  plume  themselves  a  good  deal  on  their  observance 
of  the  '  great  day'  as  the  Sabbath  is  generally  called  by 
them  and  the  Kafirs.  It  is  singular  that  both  of  these 
people  have  come  to  associate  the  great  blessing  of  rain 
with  the  Sabbath.  In  whatever  way  it  may  be  explained, 
rain  has  been  observed,  in  some  parts  of  this  country  at 
any  rate,  to  fall  more  frequently  towards  the  end  than 
towards  the  beginning  of  the  week.  Speaking  not  long 
ago  to  a  Christian  lady  about  this  notion  of  the  natives, 
she  told  me,  in  confirmation  of  the  same  thing,  that  she 
and  her  brother  were  riding  on  a  Saturday  which  threat- 
ened rain ;  her  brother  asked  a  Kafir,  who  had  been  their 
attendant,  whether  he  thought  their  journey  would  be 
impeded  by  rain ;  he  replied,  '  It  is  Sabbath  to-morrow ; 
it  may  rain.'  A  Kafir  told  me  that  the  natives  believe 
that,  if  rain  fall  at  all  during  a  time  of  drought,  it  will  be 
on  the  Sabbath.  These  things,  of  course,  apply  to  the 
natives  who  know  something  of  the  Gospel.  But  while 
there  is  much  in  the  general  aspect  of  things  to  cheer  us, 
there  is  not  a  little  to  occasion  very  painful  reflections. 
The  state  of  the  heathen  everywhere  must  present  to  view 
less  of  the  bright,  and  more  of  the  dark,  side  of  the  picture. 
It  would  be  well  for  missionaries,  and  the  friends  of  mis- 
sions, to  bear  this  in  mind.  I  was  one  day  itinerating  at 
the  Nyacha,  eight  mile^  north-east  from  this.  The  day 
was  exhilarating  and  delightfully  fresh,  as  a  very  severe 
though  welcome  thunderstorm,  accompanied  with  hail, 
had  passed  over  that  district,  clearing  the  atmosj)here 
and  refreshing  the  ground.  I  was  under  the  impression 
that,  on  a  day  so  favourable  for  field  work,  I  should 
scarcely  find  any  person  at  home.     To  my  astonishment, 


192  TIYO   SOGA. 

however,  on  descending  to  the  kraal  below,  there  was  not 
a  single  person  to  be  seen  among  the  gardens  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  stream.     When  I  reached  the  kraal, 
the  people  were  all  there,  luxuriating  in  idleness;   and 
their  contented  attitude  seemed  to  say  that  they  should 
be  nowhere  else  but  at  home.     This  seemed  very  strange 
to  me,  for  this  people  are  exceedingly  industrious.    '  What 
is  the  matter,  Gonqa?'  I  asked,  addressing  the  petty  chief 
of  the  kraal.     *  Why  are  you  not  at  work  on  such  a  fine 
day?'     Would  any  one  believe  it,  who  knew  that  this 
people,  who  had  been  ruined  and  had  narrowly  escaped 
from  death  by  giving  heed  to  lies,  were  again  yielding  to 
superstition — that  same  superstition  which,  in  its  recent 
disastrous  consequences  among  them,  had  presented  itself 
as  a  hideous  and  hateful  monster  ?     Here  it  was  at  work, 
deluding  the  people ;  and  they  were  willing  to  be  deluded. 
It  appears  to  be  the  belief  of  the  Fingoes  that,  to  work  in 
the  gardens  immediately  after  a  thunderstorm,  exposes 
the  future  crop  to  the  danger  of  destruction  by  hail.     A 
Fingoe,  therefore,  on  the  morning  of  the  day  in  question, 
seeing  the  people  of  this  Kafir  village  making  preparations 
to  go  out  to  their  gardens,  while  some  were  already  at 
work,  shouted  out  this  superstition  at  the  highest  pitch 
of  his  voice,  that  all  might  hear  and  be  warned ;   and 
declared    that   there    would   be   no   benefit    from    work 
performed   that   day,   and  that   it   was  better  to  allow 
the  birds  which  they  were  scaring  away  to  feed   upon 
the  crops.     For  beings  who  had  so  recently  escaped  from 
the   pangs  of  famine   this  was   too   much.      Forthwith 
they  abandoned  the   idea  of  work,  and  those  at   work 
flung  down  their  spades  and  hoes,  and  rushed  home  with 
all  speed.     It  must  be  confessed  that  to  resist  a  supersti- 
tion, so  directly  appealing  to  the  stomachs  of  men  who 


CHURCH  BUILDING.  193 

had  all  but  perished  with  hunger,  would  have  required  far 
more  enlightened  faith  than  tliese  poor  Kafirs  possessed. 
It  was  a  cruel  superstition  on  this  occasion  at  least.  I 
never  felt  more  indigmxnt.  When  I  inquired  the  name  of 
the  man  from  whom  this  interdict  issued,  they  concealed 
it.  I  found  it  out  afterwards  by  guile.  The  whole 
people  at  the  Nyacha  district  did  not  work  that  day, 
and  remained  at  their  kraals.  When  we  speak  to  both 
Kafirs  and  Fingoes  of  the  delusion  of  Mhlakaza,  one 
might  think  that  anything  that  had  the  least  semblance 
of  improbability,  or  of  which  there  was  no  tangible  proof, 
would  never  come  within  the  range  of  their  belief;  but 
we  are  learning  to  believe  that  even  this  confession  is  a 
delusion.  Some  higher  power  than  human  reason  must 
come  to  their  aid,  to  emancipate  them  from  the  shackles 
of  an  ingrained  superstition.  That  power  is  in  the  Gospel, 
which  is  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  through  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus.  May  this  blinded  people  believe  its 
heavenly  message,  and  be  saved  ! " 

On  7th  March,  of  the  same  year,  he  writes  again  to  the 
Re,v.  Dr.  Somerville,  describing  the  large  attendance  of 
children  at  school,  and  the  necessity  of  having  a  more 
commodious  place  of  worship.  To  show  his  sincerity  in 
this  matter,  he  furnishes  a  report  of  a  meeting  held  at  his 
station  to  elicit  the  sympathy  and  co-operation  of  his 
people :  "  It  will  be  very  natural  for  the  Mission  Board," 
he  writes,  "  when  a  more  substantial  church  is  spoken 
of,  to  think  of  the  losses  already  sustained  by  Kafir 
wars ;  and  the  question  is  a  very  natural  one,  '  Is  there  no 
likelihood  that  such  calamities  will  again  take  place  ?'  I 
should,  indeed,  be  cautious  in  replying  to  such  a  question, 
although  I  know  that  the  present  and  future  interests  of 
our  mission  urgently  demand  the  erection  of  a  better  place 


194  TIYO  SOGA. 

of  worship,  and  which  is  also  used  as  a  school-room.  At 
present  the  consequences  of  the  delusions  of  the  false 
prophet  are  everywhere  apparent.  But  I  should  say  that 
the  present  position,  the  capabilities,  and  the  numerical 
strength  of  the  Kafir  nation,  make  the  probabilities  of 
another  Kafir  outbreak  very  remote  indeed.  There  was 
much  greater  risk  in  the  past  in  erecting  costly  edifices. 
But  all  missionary  societies  must  be  willing  to  run 
risks  in  establishing  missions  in  countries  where  bar- 
barism is  not  likely  to  give  proper  security  to  property. 
My  own  conviction  is,  that  the  Kafirs  will  never  regain 
that  independence  which  they  once  had.  The  destruc- 
tion of  their  cattle  struck  a  blow  at  the  absolute 
independence  of  the  Kafir  nation.  The  greater  number 
of  the  Gaika  chiefs  are  now  in  durance  vile  in 
Robben  Island,  and  the  few  who  still  remain  possess  a 
mere  shadow  of  authority,  and  even  that  is  under  the 
powerful  rule  of  the  British  Government ;  nor  is  it 
likely  that  the  Government  will  ever  forego  the  power 
which  they  now  possess.  Whatever  takes  place,  it  is  not 
likely  to  originate  with  the  Gaikas,  unless  a  kind  of 
incurable  natural  insanity  possesses  them.  The  Fingoes 
are  now  the  only  formidable  body  of  natives  in  the 
country,  and  they  are  too  eager  to  amass  wealth  to  hazard 
a  collision  with  a  Government  to  which  they  owe  all 
they  have  and  are.  Moreover,  in  their  services  during 
the  late  Kafir  wars,  they  have  been  too  much  impressed 
with  the  power  and  vast  resources  of  the  English  people 
to  rush  into  danger.  The  prospect  of  a  long  repose,  there- 
fore, to  the  missions  in  Kafirland  may  not  unreasonably 
be  anticipated. 

"  In  connection  with  the  erection  of  a  more  permanent 
place  of  worship  for  the  Mgwali,  I  resolved  to  get  the 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  195 

people  to  do  something  towards  the  furtherance  of  the 
object.  Accordingly  a  public  meeting  was  held,  at  whicli 
the  Rev.  Richard  Ross,  of  Lovedale,  and  Mr.  Charles 
Brownlee  were  present,  and  rendered  most  signal  service 
by  the  able  advocacy  of  our  cause.  The  object  of  the 
meeting  was  to  stir  up  the  people  to  a  right  appreciation 
of  the  gospel  privileges  which  they  enjoyed;  to  enlighten 
them  on  the  duties  associated  with  such  privileges,  and  also 
to  commence  a  system  of  monthly  subscriptions  towards 
the  erection  of  a  more  commodious  place  of  worship. 
There  was  a  full  attendance  of  station  people,  but  the 
heathen  Kafirs  and  Fingoes  came  when  the  meeting  was 
over.  Sandilli  and  Fynn  were  present,  and  were  appa- 
rently interested  in  the  project ;  the  former  promised  a 
monthly  subscription  of  five  shillings.  Mr.  Brownlee, 
who  was  in  the  chair,  made  a  forcible  appeal  to  the 
people.  Mr.  Ross's  address  bore  most  excellently  upon 
what  the  people  should  do,  and  hoiv  they  should  do  it. 
It  abounded  in  flashes  of  genuine  Kafir  humour.  The 
first  effect  of  it  upon  the  people  w^as  amusing,  as  not 
accustomed  to  such  meetino^s,  and  thinkino^  of  the  church 
as  too  sacred  a  place  for  even  smiles.  At  first  they  seemed 
to  resist  the  sallies  of  humour ;  then  they  hung  down  their 
heads ;  but  as  the  humour  was  steady  and  real,  like  tlie 
continued  shocks  from  a  galvanic  battery,  they  fairly  gave 
way." 

The  speeches  are  fully  reported;  and,  like  all  Kafir 
oratory,  they  abound  in  expressions  of  thanks,  and  in 
mutual  counsel  as  to  what  ought  to  be  done;  but  the 
result  was  not  very  gratifying,  as  after  much  pressure 
the  sum  only  amounted  to  £13.  Still  the  Kafir  mis- 
sionary was  neither  baffled  nor  discouraged.  He  was 
determined  to  raise  £150,  and  resolved  to  appeal  to  the 


196  TIYO  SOGA. 

colonists.  On  8th  June,  18G0,  he  describes  how  he  pled 
his  scheme  in  the  Colony,  stating  that  his  object  was 
to  raise  a  building  which  would  cost  £500,  of  which 
he  desired  to  collect  the  sum  of  £150  by  his  own 
efforts,  and  then  appeal  to  the  Church  at  home  for  the 
rest.  He  was  greatly  encouraged  by  the  venture,  and 
returned  home  with  a  sum  of  money  greater  than  he  had 
ever  hoped  to  raise  either  by  personal  appeal  or  by  his 
pen.  In  laying  his  case  before  the  colonists,  he  told  them 
"  the  heathen  are  very  particular  about  the  comforts  of 
the  church  in  which  they  worship.  One  said  to  me 
very  brusquely  one  day,  that  he  did  not  complain  of 
anything  about  his  reception  on  coming  to  the  Station, 
that  we  were  kind  and  obliging  enough,  but  when  he 
came  to  the  church  on  Sundays,  he  was  huddled  up  with 
the  children  at  the  door ;  he  would  therefore  not  come  at 
all  until  he  could  be  better  accommodated.  He  was  not 
satisfied  when,  in  reply,  I  alleged  the  smallness  of  our 
place  of  worship,  and  the  necessity  for  reserving  the  best 
seats  for  those  who  wore  European  clothing,  and  for 
keeping  in  the  back-ground  those  who  besmeared  them- 
selves with  red  clay,  lest  they  should  soil  the  clothes  of 
the  others." 

To  Dr.  Somervillc,  therefore,  on  8th  June,  1860,  he 
writes: — "I  have  now  the  pleasure  of  intimating  that 
the  Lord  has  more  than  realized  my  expectations,  and 
this,  I  trust,  is  His  own  seal  of  approval  of  the  matter 
which  I  have  submitted  to  the  Board.  The  Christian 
friends  in  Mr.  Johnston's  church  gave  me  a  most  cordial 
invitation  to  preach  for  a  collection  in  aid  of  the  church 
at  the  Mgwali.  The  deacons  of  the  church  pledged 
that  if  I  went  they  would  give  me  £50.  I  preached  in 
Trinity  Church,  therefore,  on  the  second  Sabbath  of  April 


CHURCH  BUILDING.  197 

last,  morning  and  evening,  and  addressed  the  Sabbath 
schools  in  the  afternoon.  On  the  following  Monday  Mr. 
Johnston  and  I  set  out  to  solicit  aid  from  Christian  friends 
of  all  evangelical  denominations  interested  in  the  cause  of 
Christ.  The  result  of  my  efforts  in  Grahamstown,  includ- 
ing collections  and  subscriptions,  amounted  to  £118  10s, 

"  From  Grahamstown  I  proceeded  to  Port  Elizabeth,  and 
supplied  New  Church  pulpit  for  two  Sabbaths.  At  the 
services  of  the  second  Sabbath,  collections  were  made  for 
the  Umgwali  church.  During  the  week,  Mr.  George  Kemp, 
son  of  Mr.  J.  W.  Kemp,  an  old  friend  of  missions,  called 
with  me  on  persons  who  were  likely  to  aid  us  in  the  work 
of  Christ  among  the  heathen.  The  result  of  my  appeal 
was  the  sum  of  £204  10s.  The  Messrs.  Kemp,  father  and 
son,  specially  assisted  me;  the  former  by  his  sound  counsel, 
the  latter  by  his  personal  influence  and  exertion.  The 
liberality  was  as  unexpected  as  it  was  gratifying,  and 
its  value  was  enhanced  by  the  cheerful  cordiality  and 
gentlemanly  feeling  with  which  all  the  friends  responded 
to  my  appeal.  I  came  home  with  a  grateful  heart  to  Him 
who  has  the  hearts  of  all  men  in  His  hand,  and  who  can 
turn  them  for  His  own  glory  as  rivers  of  water.  The  glory 
and  the  praise,  therefore,  must  be  to  His  name  alone! 
Even  to  this  moment  a  most  pleasant  recollection  of  my 
late  visit  to  the  Colony  lingers  in  my  mind;  and  may 
the  Lord  Jesus  extend  to  those  Christian  friends  in  the 
Colony,  who  have  so  greatly  encouraged  me  in  my  work, 
a  full  measure  of  His  enriching  blessing  ! 

"  In  Port  Elizabeth  the  young  people  of  the  Sabbath 
school  displayed  a  most  gratifying  interest  in  the  cause  of 
Christ.  When  I  entered  by  invitation  of  Mr.  W.  Dunn, 
many  of  them  started  to  their  feet  as  soon  as  they  saw  me, 
and   stretched  out  their  little  hands  towards  me  with 


198  TIYO  SOGA. 

pennies,  threepences,  sixpences  and  shillings,  saying  as 
they  did  so:— 'This  is  to  buy  bricks  for  your  church.' 
This  special  interest  I  owe  to  Mr.  Dunn  who  most  warmly 
espoused  my  cause. 

"The  whole  amount  I  have  succeeded  through  God's 
grace  in  raising  for  our  proposed  church  is  £362." 

On  9th  March,  18G1,  a  commencement  of  the  building 
was  made.  Tiyo's  one  fond  dream  over  past  months  was 
now  begiiming  to  shape  itself  into  a  reality.  The  plan 
for  a  church  was  given  by  an  officer  in  King  William's 
Town.  The  quarrying  of  stones  and  the  making  of 
bricks,  the  sawing  of  timber  and  the  employment  of 
workmen,  all  the  numerous  nameless,  worrying  elements, 
preparatory  to  the  commencement  of  a  building,  were 
now  experienced  by  Tiyo  Soga.  "  I  am  somewhat  dis- 
appointed at  the  subscriptions  of  the  people.  They  have 
been  very  fluctuating,  and  yet  after  all  until  our  people 
have  regular  employment  from  which  to  realize  a  stated 
income,  the  fluctuation  in  subscriptions  is  not  to  be 
wondered  at.  Through  the  goodness  of  our  God  after 
various  delays,  the  builder  this  day  dug  the  foundation 
of  our  future  church.  In  the  course  of  a  few  days  the 
foundation  stone  will  be  laid.  Everything  connected  with 
a  place  to  which  I  have  looked  forward  with  so  much 
anxiety  is  interesting  to  me.  The  church  is  to  be  65  feet 
long  by  35  feet  wide." 

The  "  few  days  "  however  bulked  into  a  few  months,  as 
the  following  letter  to  Dr.  Somerville,  dated  23rd  July, 
1861,  shows: — "After  various  unavoidable  delays,  the 
foundation  of  the  mission  church  at  the  Mgwali  was  this 
day  laid  by  the  Gaika  Commissioner,  Charles  Brownlee, 
Esq.  There  were  many  s[)ectators  interested  in  the  build- 
ing.    I  opened  the  services  of  the  ceremony  by  giving  out 


CHURCH  BUILDING.  199 

the  great  hymn  of  the  first  notable  Kafir  convert  Ntsikana, 
father  of  one  of  my  elders,  Dukwana.  It  was  sung  with 
good  effect,  and  suggested  pleasing  thoughts.  I  then  read 
the  cxxii.  Psalm,  after  which  I  offered  a  prayer  appro- 
priate to  the  occasion,  which  I  had  written  out.  I  then 
read,  and  held  up  for  the  people  to  see,  two  inscriptions 
written  on  separate  sheets  of  vellum,  one  in  English,  and 
the  other  in  Kafir,  containing  a  historical  reference  to  the 
laying  of  the  foundation  stone  of  the  church.  The  sheet 
with  the  inscription  in  English  contained  also  a  list  of  the 
names  of  our  eight  office-bearers,  as  well  as  of  the  95 
church  members  and  30  catechumens.  The  sheet  in  Kafir 
which  was  a  translation  of  the  English  had,  in  addition, 
a  copy  of  the  prayer  which  I  offered  up  on  the  occasion. 
These  documents,  with  the  current  coins,  which  were 
collected  by  the  people  on  the  spot,  were  placed  in  a  small 
leaden  box  which  was  deposited  in  the  stone  underlying 
the  foundation  stone  about  to  be  laid. 

"After  depositing  the  box  and  its  contents,  Mr.  Brownlee 
proceeded  with  the  ceremony  of  laying  the  foundation 
stone  in  the  usual  way.  He  then  followed  up  the  ceremony 
by  giving  a  most  excellent  address  to  the  assembled  people, 
who  viewed  the  entire  proceedings  with  much  apparent 
interest.  Mr.  Brownlee  founded  his  address  on  the  truth 
that  the  good  actions  of  good  men  frequently  outlive  their 
authors;  and  he  practically  applied  this  truth  to  the 
building  of  the  church  at  the  Umgwali  which  we  had 
undertaken. 

"  Two  other  addresses  were  given,  touching  upon  the 
duty  of  systematic  and  liberal  giving  towards  the  good 
work — Dukwana  and  Festire  being  the  speakers.  The 
service  was  concluded  by  singing  another  hymn,  and  pro- 
nouncing the  benediction.    The  following  is  the  inscription 


200  TIYO   SOGA. 

alluded  to: — '  In  the  year  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  1861, 
this  23rd  day  of  May,  in  the  25th  year  of  the  reign  of 
Her  Majesty  Queen  Victoria,  eleven  months  after  the  visit 
to  the  Cape  of  His  Royal  Highness,  Prince  Alfred— His 
Excellency  Sir  George  Grey  being  Governor  of  the  Cape 
of  Good  Hope  and  its  dependencies — Colonel  Maclean 
beincr  Lieutenant  Governor  of  British  Kaffraria — Charles 
Brownlee,Esq.,  being  Commissioner  of  the  Gaika  tribes,and 
Sandilli  being  head  and  chief  of  those  tribes — was  laid 
this  foundation  stone  of  the  church  at  the  Mgwali  mission 
station,  under  the  auspices  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  of  Scotland — the  Rev.  Andrew  Somerville,  D.D., 
being  the  secretary,  and  James  Peddie,  Esq.,  the  treasurer 
of  its  foreign  missions. 

"I  fear  that  some  people,  on  reading  this,  may  say: 
'  this  is  well  enough,  but  it  is  rather  too  much  of  a  good 
thing  for  a  missionary,  and  for  a  barbarous  people  I '  The 
ceremony  above  described  was  of  the  simplest  and  most 
unpretending  nature  possible.  I  have  a  growing  conviction, 
strengthened  by  daily  observation,  that  we  should  intro- 
duce among  our  people  whatever  in  any  degree  gives 
them  new  ideas  of  civilization,  and  whatever  tends  to 
enlarge  and  enlighten  their  minds,  provided  it  be  done 
with  simplicity,  order,  and  propriety.  In  illustration  of 
what  I  have  said,  the  greater  part  of  our  people  had  often 
read  and  heard  about  '  laying  a  foundation  and  corner 
stone.'  They  did  not  understand  it  till  they  saw  with 
their  own  eyes  the  simple  ceremony  described  above,  and 
the  great  importance  of  the  foundation  or  corner  stone  to 
the  whole  building." 

Never  did  man  enter  upon  a  work  for  which  he  was 
more  unsuited  tlian  did  Tiyo  Soga,  when  he  undertook 
the  gi-ave  responsibility  of  building  the  Mgwali  church. 


CHURCH  BUILDING.  201 

This  was  acknowledged  by  himself.  It  was  an  easy  matter 
for  him  to  plead  his  cause  by  voice  and  pen,  in  the  pulpit 
and  out  of  it ;  in  the  library  of  the  millionaire,  in  the 
counting  house  of  the  merchant,  in  the  workshop  of  the 
artisan,  and  in  the  warehouse  of  the  wholesale  dealer.  It 
was  an  easy  thing  for  him  to  present  his  subscription-list 
to  cheerful  givers,  or  to  encounter  a  little  banter,  mingled 
with  remarks  about  the  ingratitude  of  the  Kafir  race, 
from  men  who  saw  no  use  in  civilizinir  the  natives.  It 
was  an  easy  thing  for  him  to  travel  to  Grahamstown  and 
beyond,  to  state  the  urgent  necessities  of  his  station,  or 
to  solicit  the  aid  of  the  Mission  Board  at  home ;  but  it 
was  widely  different  when  he  came  to  superintend  the 
erection  of  the  house  of  God,  for  the  building  of  Avhich  he 
had  pled  with  such  effect.  At  the  very  time  when  the 
church  was  about  to  be  built,  European  skilled  labour  was 
greatly  in  demand,  and  consequently  increased  in  value. 
It  then  became  evident  that  the  building  had  been  greatly 
under-estimated,  and  to  reduce  by  every  possible  means 
the  cost,  Tiyo  Soga  employed  a  bricklayer  and  carpenter, 
and  engaged  to  supply  all  materials  and  the  labourers. 
He  had  no  experience  in  such  matters,  and  knew  nothing 
of  the  worry  of  wrangling  with  labourers  naturally 
indolent,  or  of  the  character  of  the  work  that  their 
masters  would  devolve  upon  them.  He  knew  nothing 
about  the  difficulty  of  providing  a  constant  supply  of 
material,  or  how  exacting  those  are  who  expect  all  things 
to  be  ready  at  any  moment.  He  knew  nothing  about 
the  adverse  influences  of  the  weather  upon  the  tale  of 
bricks  of  which  there  must  be  a  never-failing  supply  so 
as  to  keep  the  bricklayer  constantly  employed,  and  silence 
the  srrumblino'  which  must  needs  follow  if  he  failed  in  the 
slightest  degree  to  fulfil  his  part  of  the  bargain.    He  knew 


202  TIYO   SOGA. 

nothing  of  what  was  needful  not  to  ruffle  the  tem^Ders  of 
the  builders.  He  reckoned  not  the  anxiety,  the  sleepless- 
ness, the  feverish  worry  of  that  experience  which  he  was 
about  to  learn,  nor  at  what  a  price  that  knowledge  would 
be  purchased.  He  was  too  ignorant  of  such  things,  and 
too  sensitive  to  venture  upon  such  a  task.  Moreover, 
his  inexperience  led  him  to  be  frequently  imposed  upon 
by  his  own  countrymen,  who,  however  backward  in  the 
march  of  civilization,  know  as  well  as  the  British  colliers 
of  the  19th  century  how  to  strike  from  work  when 
opportunity  offers  to  advance  their  own  interests.  One  of 
the  letters  which  conveyed  the  intelligence  that  the  church 
building  had  begun,  announced  the  fact  that  physically  he 
was  incapable  for  the  w^ork  which  he  had  assumed.  "  I 
have  to  inform  3'ou,"  he  says,  "  of  decided  symptoms  of  my 
own  failing  health.  I  have  had  three  attacks  of  asthmatic 
fits.  I  complained  first  of  all  of  '  ministers'  sore  throat,' 
as  it  is  called.  After  two  severe  attacks  of  this  my  throat 
became  Hable  to  frequent  colds.  Since  October  last,  I  have 
scarcely  known  what  it  is  to  be  thoroughly  free  of  colds. 
The  result  now  is  an  afiection  of  the  bronchial  tubes.  I 
am  thankful  however  to  say  that  I  am  still  able  to  attend 
to  all  my  duties.  I  shall  need  above  everything  to  avoid 
getting  wet." 

It  was  zealous  but  not  prudent  in  Tiyo  Soga,  with 
infirm  health,  to  enter  upon  such  a  task,  as  it  frequently 
necessitated  his  exposure  to  damp  weather  and  rain ;  but 
all  personal  interests  were  absorbed  in  his  one  desire  to 
reduce  the  expenditure.  The  few  pence,  if  any,  saved 
by  his  personal  superintendence,  were  far  outbalanced  by 
the  exposure,  the  fretting  cares,  the  feverish  anxieties, 
the  innumerable  daily  worries,  which  struck  the  dis- 
ease still  deeper  into  his  already  fragile  frame.     At  this 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  203 

time  he  wrote  to  Mrs.  James  M'Farlane,  one  of  his  most 
faithful  friends  in  John  Street  Church,  and  who  has 
done  much  to  further  the  interests  of  missions  gener- 
ally:— "Were  you  here  you  would  spare  me  the  blame 
of  not  writing  oftener  to  you.  My  hands,  head,  and 
heart  are  full  of  no  ordinary  calls.  I  do  not  complain ; 
but  it  hinders  the  regularity  and  frequency  of  letter- 
writing.  The  most  absorbing  work  at  present  is  our 
Emgwali  church,  now  in  course  of  erection.  I  superin- 
tend even  the  quarrying  of  the  stones,  and  the  making  of 
bricks.  I  am  thankful  to  say  that  hitherto  everything  has 
gone  on  satisfactorily,  although  I  am  so  anxious  to  see 
the  erection  completed,  on  which  I  have  long  set  my  heart, 
that  I  sometimes  think  the  workmen  slow.  The  church 
will  accommodate  about  600  people,  and  will  be  so 
constructed  that  a  gallery  may  be  added  when  the 
population  increases.  What  shall  I  say  to  you  for 
having  placed  me  and  my  poor  people  once  more  under 
another  obligation,  by  your  gift  of  the  Communion  ser- 
vice ?  I  shall  not  pour  out  my  verbal  thanks.  The 
record  of  your  deeds  of  love  to  the  cause  of  God,  at 
home  and  abroad,  is  placed  where  I  know  you  are  look- 
ing for  it — in  the  reward  that  God  gives  to  His  own 
people.  I  look  forw^ard  to  the  time,  with  much  expecta- 
tion, when  my  unworthy  hands  shall  dispense,  to  the 
humble  followers  of  the  Lamb,  the  Lord's  Supper  out 
of  your  excellent  gift.  The  feehng,  that  connects  this 
sacrament  with  vessels  appropriate  to  its  use,  is  very  con- 
siderable with  me ;  and  I  think  it  is  a  proper  one.  It  is 
right  that  we  should  serve  God  with  the  richest  and 
choicest  offerings  that  we  can  set  apart  for  His  service. 
Our  congregations  at  church  are  very  good;  but  the 
heathen  at  present  have  somewhat  fallen   off  in  their 


204  TIYO   SOGA. 

attendance.  The  summer  season,  and  a  year  of  plenty, 
always  affect  their  attendance  at  church.  It  is  a  time  of 
real  enjoyment  with  them ;  and  they  are  absorbed  in  a 
round  of  dances  and  meetings  of  the  most  objectionable 
kind.  When  these  are  uppermost,  they  become  regardless 
of  ever}i:hing  else ;  or  as  an  honest  Kafir  woman  said, 
when  invited  to  come  to  church,  '  No,  you  need  not  trouble 
yourself;  it  is  impossible  that  I  can  attend  your  church  so 
long  as  I  have  my  own  to  go  to  !'  This  is  the  sentiment 
of  nearly  every  Kafir  just  now.  Most  ungrateful  men ! 
The  mercies  with  which  God  favours  them  are  made  the 
occasions  of  sin.  Such  is  depraved  human  nature.  As 
they  do  not  care  to  come  just  now,  we  go  to  them ;  and,  as 
they  say,  'spoil  their  joyful  meetings'  wdth  our  presence. 
We  often  compel  the  singers  and  dancers  to  stop  their 
songs  and  frantic  capers,  to  listen  to  the  Word.  In 
some  places  they  stop  of  their  own  free  will  when  we 
come ;  but  this  is  not  often  in  compliment  to  the  Gospel, 
but  to  get  rid  of  us  with  all  speed.  They-  do  not  like 
to  listen  ;  but  they  know  that  it  shall  be  spoken,  and 
the  sooner  it  is  done  the  better.  '  Come  on  quickly,'  I 
have  often  heard  them  say  frantically  to  their  neighbours ; 
*  come  on,  and  let  these  people  do  this  thing  of  theirs,  so 
that  they  may  pass  on.  You  know  that  they  go  from 
place  to  place,  and  we  must  not  detain  them  long.'  Such 
is  the  treatment  which  the  Gospel  receives  from  my  poor 
countrymen.  About  a  week  ago  we  had  a  day  of  special 
prayer  on  behalf  of  our  nation." 

As  the  work  advanced,  Tiyo  became  gradually  alive  to 
the  fact  that  tlie  cost  of  the  new  church  would  far  exceed 
tlie  funds  at  his  disposal,  and  accordingly  he  drew  up  the 
following  appeal  in  August,  18G1 — a  copy  of  which  he 
sent  to  his  clerical  and  other  friends  in  Britain,  soliciting 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  205 

contributions  to  defray  the  expenses  of  the  rising  struc- 
ture : — "  We  are  here  engaged  in  a  work  for  which 
I  beg  to  solicit  from  you  and  your  people  a  little  aid. 
A  church,  in  the  midst  of  a  heathen  population  of 
between  4000  and  5000,  is  in  course  of  construction.  Its 
probable  cost,  when  completed,  will  not  be  less  than  £800, 
as  is  shown  by  a  rough  estimate  sent  to  the  Secretary 
of  our  Foreign  Missions.  The  sum  of  £450,  including 
travelling  expenses,  has  been  collected  in  the  Colony  of  the 
Cape  of  Good  Hope.  The  people  of  God  here — emulating 
the  liberal  spirit  of  the  Churches  in  Great  Britain — came 
forward  with  ready  hands  and  hearts,  and  they  have  largely 
contributed  in  aiding  a  church  for  their  dark  brethren. 

"  The  Mission  Board  has  given  £100.  Could  we  get 
from  friends  in  Scotland  to  the  extent  of  £200,  the  rest  we 
would  strive  to  raise  ourselves  by  monthly  contributions 
and  offerings ;  these  even  now  yield  something. 

"  The  church  is  65  feet  by  35  feet,  and  is  to  be  seated  for 
600  or  700  people.  It  is  a  plain,  simple,  but  neat  brick 
building ;  and  both  as  a  protection  against  the  common 
accidents  of  fire,  and  in  the  end  less  expensive  than  thatch, 
we  intend  to  have  it  covered  with  corrugated  iron. 

"  The  cost  is,  in  appearance,  out  of  proportion  to  the 
size  of  the  building ;  but  the  price  of  building  material, 
and  the  work  of  bricklayers  and  carpenters,  are  three 
times  more  than  '  at  home,'  I  think  it  right  also  to  state 
— that,  through  the  death  of  a  subscriber,  I  have  lost  £25. 

"  Our  present  place  of  worship  is  fast  going  into  decay; 
and  as  it  does  not  well  accommodate  the  people  of  the 
station  proper,  we  cannot  urge  the  attendance  of  the 
heathen  around. 

"  May  this  voice  from  the  South  not  be  heard  in  vain 
in  Scotland.     '  Come  over  and  help  us  ! '     Naturally,  as  a 


206  TIYO   SOGA. 

last  resource,  the  missionary,  in  his  difSculties,  looks  to  that 
land  of  the  friends  of  Christ  and  the  friends  of  missions. 
Ten  pounds  from  twenty  of  the  churches  of  our  Synod  in 
Scotland  would  give  us  all  that  we  need.  This,  however, 
should  not  restrict  the  liberality  of  friends  and  churches 
who  may  feel  disposed  to  aid  us  in  the  good  work." 

Although  not  following  in  exact  chronological  order, 
this  is  probably  the  best  place  for  recording  a  visit  which 
he  made  to  Cape  Town  on  the  invitation  of  His  Royal 
Hio-hness  the  Duke  of  Edinburorh.  The  one  reason  which 
prompted  him  to  accept  the  invitation,  was  the  desire  to 
plead  on  behalf  of  his  new  church  in  the  metropolis  of  the 
Cape  Colon3^  "  Some  Christian  friends,"  he  says,  "  whose 
aid  I  was  soliciting  at  Port  Elizabeth,  said  to  me  most 
emphatically,  *  Go  to  Cape  Town ;'  '  Cape  Town  is  the 
place !'  I  could  not  then  act  on  their  recommendation. 
God,  however,  has  opened  up  an  unexpected  opportunity 
for  visiting  Cape  Town,  and  for  verifying  the  favourable 
predictions  of  the  Christian  friends  in  Port  Elizabeth." 
He  describes  how  it  happened  that  he  received  the 
invitation  from  Royalty.  We  let  him  tell  the  story  in 
his  own  words :  "  In  the  month  of  August,  1860,"  he 
writes  to  Dr.  Somcrville,  "  this  colony  was  moved  from 
one  end  to  the  other  by  the  visit  of  His  Royal  Highness 
Prince  Alfred.  Never  were  such  excitement  and  enthu- 
siasm witnessed  any^vhere  as  on  that  occasion.  Addresses 
poured  in  upon  the  Prince  from  both  black  and  white. 
The  Prince  and  Sir  George  Grey  passed  within  a  short  dis- 
tance of  our  station ;  and  there  I  had  the  honour  of  reading 
an  address  of  welcome  from  my  people  and  from  the 
people  of  the  two  Berlin  missionary  societies  at  the  Doehne, 
twelve  miles  from  my  station.  This  address  was  most  gra- 
ciously received,  and  was  answered  by  His  Royal  Highness. 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  207 

Sandilli,  the  chief,  was  present  with  a  large  body  of  his 
people.  When  the  Prince  started  on  his  journey,  we  formed 
an  escort  and  accompanied  him  for  three  miles,  headed  by 
Sandilli  and  Mr.  Brownlee.  Just  as  we  were  leaving  and 
returning,  I  received  a  request  from  the  Prince  and  Sir 
George  Grey  to  accompany  Sandilli  and  Mr.  Brownlee  to 
Cape  Town.  The  object  was  politic  on  the  part  of  Sir 
George  Grey ;  it  was  to  give  Sandilli  confidence  in  himself 
and  in  the  kindness  of  the  English  people.  It  was  also 
designed  to  give  Sandilli  and  his  people  an  opportunity  of 
seeing  to  some  extent  the  greatness  and  power  of  Great 
Britain ;  so  that  from  what  he  would  see  in  Cape  Town, 
the  capital  of  the  colony,  he  might  learn  something  for  the 
future  good  and  the  peace  of  his  people.  But  as  Sandilli 
knew  that  other  Kafir  chiefs  were,  through  crimes  proved 
against  them,  in  confinement  on  Robben  Island,  he  had  no 
confidence  in  going  to  Cape  Town  alone.  He  agreed  to  go, 
only  if  Mr.  Brownlee  and  I  accompanied  him ;  and  hence 
the  request  of  Sir  George  Grey  and  the  Prince.  On  many 
considerations,  I  felt  it  to  be  my  duty  to  accept  the 
invitation.  With  two  of  my  elders,  Dukwana  and  Festire, 
and  eight  councillors  of  Sandilli,  we  accompanied  the  chief 
and  the  Gaika  commissioner  to  Cape  Town,  on  board  the 
Euryalus,  the  Prince's  ship." 

Then  follows,  in  a  letter  to  a  friend,  a  racy  description 
of  the  voyage,  from  Port  Elizabeth  to  Natal,  thence  to 
Cape  Town;  and  for  the  first  time,  we  have  from  a  Kafir, 
a  pen  and  ink  sketch  of  such  fellow-passengers  as  perhaps 
never  voyaged  together.  It  is  too  good  to  be  lost.  It  is 
dated  "  On  the  Wide  Ocean,  Thursday,  30th  August,  1860 : 
In  consequence  of  the  high  surf,  we  did  not  embark  from 
Port  Elizabeth  in  the  Euryalus  until  Monday  morning. 
From   Saturday  we   were   kept   in   a   state   of  anxious 


208  TIYO   SOGA. 

suspense,  not  knowing  at   what   moment  we  might  be 
summoned  to  go  on  board.      Consequently  I  could  not 
preach  for  Mr.  Harsant  until  the  evening,  when  it  became 
evident  that  we  would  not  sail  that  night.     Early  next 
morning  we  entered   the   great   frigate,   the   wonder  of 
wonders;    and  yet  they  say  she  is  only  a  second-rate 
vessel.     She  mounts  51  guns  of  large  size — the  largest  I 
had  ever  seen.     She  has  six  smaller  guns,  which  may  be 
landed  when  occasion  requires.     There  are  540  men  on 
board ;  and  the  discipline  and  order  are  marvellous.     Our 
own  people  are  perfectly  bewildered  with  what  they  see. 
But  up  to  this  day  they  have  scarcely  been  able  to  enjoy 
themselves   on   account  of  sea-sickness.      Dukwana  has 
been  worse  than  any  of  them.     Festire  was  scarcely  sick 
at  all.      Mr.  Brownlee  and  I   have  only  been  slightly 
affected,  although  we   had  the  very  roughest  weather. 
Last   night   the   pitching   of  the  vessel  was  something- 
dreadful.      Our  men  thought  that  all  was  up  with  us. 
The  wind  has  been  most  unpropitious.     I  think  it  will 
take  us  nearly  a  week  to  go  to  Natal.     The  kindness, 
attention,  and  gentlemanly  bearing  of  Captain  Tarleton 
and  the  officers,  are  to  me  very  astonishing.     Sandilli  and 
his  men  are  quite  *  lionized'  on  board.    They  have  a  cabin 
to  themselves,  and  are  waited  upon  by  two  negroes.     Mr. 
Brownlee   and   I   mess   with    the  Captain  and   General 
Wynyard,  the  Lieutenant  Governor.     We  have,  therefore, 
to  appear  at  dinner  in  full  dress.     On  the  day  of  our 
embarking,  the  Captain  had  a  sumptuous  dinner  provided 
for  his  guests.    I  thought  this  was  to  be  the  order  for  every 
day,  and  had  really  conscientious  scruples  about  partaking 
of  such  daily  fare.    It  was  too  much  for  such  as  me,  and  I 
had  made  up  my  mind  to  be  excused  towards  the  middle 
of  it.     However,  the  dinners  have  become  more  moderate. 


CHURCH  BUILDING.  209 

1st  September,  1860. — Still  at  sea  with  a  head  wind. 
We  have  now  been  six  days  at  sea.  With  a  fair  wind  we 
would  have  gone  to  Natal  in  three  days.  We  hope  to  be 
there  to-morrow  night.  Since  yesterday  our  party  have 
been  recovering  from  sea-sickness  and  trying  to  use  tlioir 
sea-legs.  They  are  now  regaining  their  spirits,  especially 
as  we  are  sailing  in  sight  of  land  to-day. 

"  Tuenday,  4-th  SepteDxher. — Arrived  at  Natal   after   a 
tedious  stormy  run  of  eight  days  from  Port  Elizabetli. 
Yesterday  was  a  tempestuous  day,  the  wind  and  high  sea 
ofttimes  appalling ;    but   fortunately  both  were   in   our 
favour.      During  the  night  the  rolling  of  the  ship   was 
terrific.     In  the  morning  Sandilli's  brother  very  much 
amused  us  by  remarking  '  Really  a  man  will  never  die  of 
fright ;  for,  last  night  I  thought  I  should  have  died  with 
fright,  if  anything  could  kill  me.'     Poor  old  Tyala,  the 
councillor,   was  overheard   moralizing  in  a  most  melan- 
choly strain.     After  drawing  a  long  sigh  and  stretching 
out  his  arms  over  the  hammock  on  which  he  lay  tossing 
to  and  fro  he  exclaimed  '  Ah  I  well,  this  is  the  enjoyment 
of  human  life  ! '    so  you  may  infer  from  this  the  state 
we  were  in.      The  Kafirs  will  alw^ays  retain  a  salutary 
recollection   of  the   voyage   from  Algoa   Bay   to   Natal. 
All   is    now   over  —  God    having   been   merciful   to   us 
all.     The  Prince,  who  travelled  overland  from  the  Cape 
Colony  to  Natal,  has  not  arrived   at  Durban,  the  coast 
town,  although  there  is  every  likelihood  of  his  having 
arrived  at  Pietermaritzburo^h,  the  inland  town  of  Natal. 
Mr.  Brownlee,  Dukwana,  and  a  few  others  have  gone  on 
shore.     I  have  preferred  to  remain  on  board,  and  go  to- 
morrow after  Mr.  Brownlee  has  surveyed  the  land. 

"Natal,  6th  September.— The  Prince  came  on  board 
very  early  to-day  ;   and  so  there  was  no  chance  of  my 


210  TTYO  SOGA. 

going  on  shore,  I  am  somewhat  disappointed  at  this,  as 
I  expected  to  have  done  so  with  the  captain.  Towards 
evening  we  weighed  anchor  and  started  for  Cape  Town. 
The  Prince  looks  well  and  hearty.  In  his  progress  through 
the  country  he  and  those  who  accompanied  him  had  a 
grand  sporting  time.  They  had  a  great  hunt  at  which 
they  killed  600  game.  The  Prince  himself  shot  down  27. 
He  brought  with  him  on  board  many  trophies  of  his 
exploits.  There  was  a  splendid  dinner  in  the  evening. 
Sir  George  Grey  is  very  kind. 

"At  sea,  Thursday,  13th  September. — It  is  both  incred- 
ible and  most  unfortunate  that  our  passage  from  Natal 
has  been  as  tedious  as  our  passage  from  Algoa  Bay  to 
Port  Natal.  This  is  the  eighth  day  since  we  left  Natal. 
The  winds  have  been  most  adverse.  We  are  all  now 
tired  of  it,  and  shall  feel  thankful  when  God  in  His  good 
providence  lands  us  at  Cape  Town.  Yesterday  I  addressed 
a  letter  to  the  Governor  askinor  him  to  favour  our  forminoj 
a  second  station  when  necessary  so  to  do;  also  to  grant  a 
survey  and  issue  titles  for  the  Mgwali ;  also  to  give  us  a 
grant  of  land  for  the  endowment  of  an  educational  estab- 
lishment, inasmuch  as  the  land  granted  for  a  station  is 
more  for  our  people  than  for  our  mission.  Sir  George 
Grey  has  favoured  all  my  requests,  and  will  write  to 
Colonel  Maclean  to  have  them  secured.  His  Excellency 
also  kindly  offered  to  head  my  subscription  list  when 
we  got  to  Cape  Town.  He  thinks  I  shall  be  successful  in 
collecting  money  for  my  church.  I  hope  I  may.  Some- 
how or  other  I  am  not  very  sanguine.     We  shall  see. 

"  The  following  is  a  rough  portraiture  by  an  unskilled 
artist  of  the  company,  on  board  in  the  chief  cabin  : — 

"  The  Governor. — Kind,  affable  to  every  one,  cheerful 
and  communicative;  delighted  to  hear  a  good  story,  or  to 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  211 

obtain  a  new  fact.  He  is  evidently  not  in  good  health, 
and  has  a  bad  cough  which  makes  him  sometimes  wear  an 
anxious  look,  and  which  Dr.  Morton  does  not  look  upon 
with  favour.  He  appears  very  careful  of  himself,  and  is 
very  temperate  in  his  habits.  He  is  really  interested  in 
the  welfare  of  the  natives.  I  infer  this  from  several  circum- 
stances which  I  have  observed. 

General  Wynyard. — At  first  I  formed  an  unfavourable 
opinion  of  him,  but  a  more  intimate  knowledge  has  con- 
siderably modified  it.  Though  evidently  not  a  brilliant 
man  he  has  collected  a  great  deal  of  information  by 
keeping  his  eyes  open  in  travelling  through  the  world. 
Sometimes  in  his  conversations  there  is  a  tendency  to 
coarseness,  so  that  I  would  not  consider  him  a  perfect 
English  gentleman. 

"  This  high  honour  I  freely  concede  to  the  next  who 
comes  up  to  have  his  portraiture  dashed  off  by  a  rude  pen  : 
this  is  Major  Cowell  the  Prince's  governor.  He  is  naturally, 
I  think,  not  a  man  fond  of  speaking  too  much,  although  he 
takes  an  interest  in  instructive  conversation,  and  when 
any  good  subject  is  started  he  enters  heartily  into  it.  He 
is  withal  a  very  kind  man,  and  free  from  prejudice. 

"  The  next  is  the  Prince  himself,  our  young  chief  My 
impression  is  that  if  God  spares  this  young  gentleman, 
and  he  is  not  led  astray,  he  will  make  a  noble  man.  He 
is  16  years  of  age,  a  time  when  young  men  usually  begin 
to  assume  airs  and  be  consequential,  if  not  offensive  and 
troublesome.  There  is  however  the  utter  absence  of 
anything  of  this  kind  in  the  Prince.  In  fact  I  can  see 
that  he  is  possessed  of  a  modesty  that  approaches  to 
something  like  timidity.  The  Prince  is  a  boy  all  over, 
and  likes  to  hear,  or  tell  a  funny  story,  at  which  he 
invariably  takes  a  very  sympathetic  laugh. 


212  TIYO  SOGA. 

"  Colonel  Bisset  might  heave  a  good-looking  countenance 
were  it  not  for  a  very  strong  squint,  which  deprives  the 
face  of  expression,  and  seems  to  falsify  the  statement  made 
regarding  him,  that  he  is  a  clever,  knowing,  practical 
man,  who,  because  of  this,  has  been  in  almost  every  Cape 
Governor's  staff!  He  has  lost  the  thumb  of  his  right 
hand.  It  was  blown  off  by  the  accidental  explosion  of 
a  pistol. 

"  Sir  Walter'  Curry  is  one  of  Grahamstown's  greatest 
men,  the  renowned  Commandant  of  the  Cape  Frontier 
Mounted  Police,  and  an  inveterate  enemy,  it  is  said,  of 
black  men.  He  is  a  little  below  the  average  height,  has 
his  face  enveloped  in  a  huge  beard,  after  the  fashion  of 
our  friend  Browulee.  His  features  are  somewhat  Jewish, 
and  he  has  an  expression  of  countenance  which  I  rather 
like.  I  saw  no  evidence  of  his  being  an  enemy  to  black 
men.  He  spoke  freely  and  gentlemanly  to  our  men  and 
myself  I  have  a  better  impression  of  him  than  I  was  led 
to  believe  I  would. 

"Mr.  Rivers,  the  purser  of  the  Prince  and  of  the 
Governor,  is  a  tall  gentleman,  sharp  featured.  He  mounts 
a  moustache.  I  do  not  know  what  to  say  of  him  indeed, 
except  that  I  do  not  think  much  of  him,  and  so  that  is  an 
end  of  the  matter ;  only  of  course  I  wish  him  well. 

"  Mr.  Carter  is  a  young  subaltern  officer  who  got  leave 
of  absence  from  his  regiment  in  England,  and  came  out 
with  the  Governor  to  see  what  is  to  be  seen  in  this 
country.  He  is  a  good-looking  young  gentleman  of  two 
or  three-and-twenty,  is  kind  and  natural  in  his  manners, 
and  has  a  weakness  for  seeing  and  speaking  of  pretty  young 
ladies  and  plain  girls.  At  breakfast,  we  had  generally  a 
laugh  at  his  expense,  for  being  late.  But  he  took  all  in 
good  part;  and  it  was  really  refreshing  to  meet  with  such 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  213 

a  good-natured  and  even-tempered  fellow-passenger,  even 
although  he  was  not  possessed  of  any  other  distinguishing 
feature  of  character. 

"We  arrived  at  Cape  Town  on  Saturday,  15th  September, 
after  a  tedious  passage  of  nine  days  from  Natal.  We 
landed  late  in  the  afternoon,  and  I  found  that  the  Rev.  W. 
Thompson,  of  the  London  Missionary  Society,  had  waited 
three  hours  at  the  beach  to  receive  me.  I  preached  for  him 
yesterday  forenoon,  and  in  the  evening  for  Mr.  Morgan,  in 
the  Scotch  Church,  to  overflowing  congregations.  I  collect 
for  my  church  on  Wednesday.  To-day  and  to-morrow  are 
holidays  of  unusual  excitement  in  Cape  Town.  I  have 
no  time  to  describe  the  festivities.  The  Prince  is  laying 
the  foundation  stones  of  public  institutions." 

Tiyo  was  eminently  successful  in  his  object,  for  he 
collected  £163  towards  the  building  of  the  church;  and, 
in  addition,  some  Christian  friends  came  forward  as  annual 
subscribers.  Amongst  the  contributions  he  received  was 
one  which  caused  him  no  small  anxiety,  inasmuch  as  he 
feared  lest  he  might  compromise  the  principles  of  the 
denomination  to  which  he  belonged.  It  is  better,  how- 
ever, to  allow  him  to  state  the  matter  in  his  own  words, 
as  described  in  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Somer- 
ville: — "A  most  difficult  matter  now  falls  to  be  men- 
tioned," he  says,  "  and  I  shall  do  it  with  all  frankness. 
Sir  George  Grey,  when  the  Prince  had  made  particular 
inquiries  about  my  mission  and  its  prospects,  said  that  he 
must  give  me  every  encouragement  he  could ;  he  there- 
fore gave,  through  the  Kaff*rarian  Government,  £50 
towards  the  church  and  school  at  the  Mgwali.  I  did 
not  ask  the  money.  It  was  given  voluntarily;  and  he 
seemed  to  know  my  position  as  belonging  to  a  society 
which  does  not  receive  State  aid,  for  in  giving  it  he  said 


214  TIYO   SOGA. 

my  position  was  a  peculiar  one,  and  one  which  he  thought 
should  meet  with  encouragement  from  all.  I  also  knew, 
whilst  thankmg  him  for  the  money,  that  I  could  not  take 
it  as  a  grant  from  Government,  as  the  principles  of  our 
Church  did  not  allow  me  to  do  so.  It  was  not  given, 
however,  as  a  grant  to  the  society,  but  to  my  church  and 
school,  because  of  Sir  George  Grey's  desire  to  encourage 
me.  His  Excellency  had  shown  himseK  such  a  great 
friend  of  my  poor  countrymen  generally,  so  kind  to  myself 
personally,  and  so  willing  to  advance  the  interests  of  our 
mission,  that  I  had  not  myseK  the  courage  to  refuse 
the  money.  I  have  done  nothing  with  it;  it  remains 
in  the  bank  until  I  receive  the  deliverance  of  the  Mission 
Board  on  it.  If  they  enjoin  me  to  return  it  to  Sir  George 
Grey,  I  shall  do  so  at  once.  Considering  that  personally  I 
have  no  scruples  in  receiving  the  money,  remembering  the 
manner  and  object  for  which  it  was  given ;  if  the  Board 
disapprove  of  my  appropriating  it  to  the  purpose  named, 
then  it  will  be  better  to  state  in  returning  it  that  my 
clerical  superiors  will  not  allow  me  to  use  the  money,  than 
that  /  refuse  to  do  so."  It  is  right  to  state  that  the  dona- 
tion was  devoted  to  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  given. 

"  When  we  parted  from  His  Royal  Highness,"  he  writes 
to  Mr.  Bogue,  "  he  presented  me  with  the  most  beautifully 
bound  Bible  I  have  ever  seen  here  or  in  Scotland,  with 
autograph  inscribed.  People  think  I  am  highly  honoured 
by  such  a  noble  gift.  I  highly  value  it.  And  what  shall 
I  say  in  admiration  of  the  noble  qualities  of  the  second  son 
of  our  beloved  Queen?  My  loyalty  knows  no  bounds 
now !  I  speak  as  a  man  and  a  minister.  I  never  saw  a 
young  man  who  had  more  admirable  qualities  for  making 
a  future  great  man.  Modesty — unassuming  modesty — is 
the  crowning  ornament  of  them  all.      Sandilli  and  his 


CHURCH    BUILDING.  215 

councillors  are  full  of  his  praises,  and  no  wonder.  I 
carefully,  interestingly,  and  admiringly  watched  His  Royal 
Highness  durinsj  the  time  I  was  with  him." 

Of  this  visit  of  Tiyo  Soga  to  Cape  Town  the  Rev.  W. 
Thompson  says :  "  Mrs.  Thompson  and  myself  invited  him 
to  make  our  house  his  home  during  his  stay  in  our  city, 
and  rarely  have  we  had  a  more  acceptable  guest.  During 
the  fortnight  he  was  with  us,  his  quiet  unassuming 
manners,  combined  with  his  intelligence  and  piety, 
marked  him  out  as  a  Christian  gentleman,  differing 
in  nothing  but  his  colour  from  the  most  cultured  and 
refined  of  our  personal  friends.  In  the  free  and  cheerful 
intercourse  of  private  life,  he  never  seemed  to  forget  that 
he  was  a  minister  of  the  Gospel ;  and  he  never  descended 
to  what  was  unbecoming  his  high  vocation.  Throughout 
his  conversation  and  acts  there  was  manifested  an  intense 
anxiety  for  the  spiritual  good  of  the  Kafirs,  '  his  kinsmen 
according  to  the  flesh,'  to  whom  he  evidently  esteemed  it 
his  highest  honour  to  be  a  missionary.  Although  years 
have  passed  since  the  time  referred  to,  and  we  have  had  a 
considerable  number  of  visitors  from  different  parts  of  the 
world,  the  remembrance  of  Mr.  Soga's  noble  qualities  of 
head  and  of  heart  is  as  fresh  as  if  it  were  yesterday  that 
he  was  under  our  roof,  and  sat  at  our  table.  I  know  not 
how  it  was,  but  the  presence  of  our  friend  ever  suggested 
to  me  the  names  of  Cyprian,  Tertullian,  and  Augustine, 
and  others  of  northern  Africa,  embalmed  in  the  memory 
as  among  the  noblest  men  of  the  primitive  Church,  and 
as  the  first-fruits  unto  God  of  the  rich  harvest  this 
continent  has  yet  to  produce. 

''  Mr.  Soga  was  several  times  invited  to  preach  in  Cape 
TowTi,  and  did  so  with  great  acceptance.  Twice  I  heard 
him  when  he  occupied  my  own  pulpit  in  Caledon  Square. 


21 G  TIYO   SOGA. 

The  chapel  was  crowded  to  excess,  and  great  numbers 
were  not  able  to  gain  admittance.  His  sermon,  on  Matt. 
XX.  30,  '  When  they  heard  that  Jesus  passed  by,'  &c.,  was 
very  powerful,  and  produced  a  deep  impression.  The 
illustrations  were  striking,  the  language  chaste,  and  the 
tone  solemn  yet  affectionate — the  unction  of  fidelity  and 
love.  It  was  difficult  to  believe  that  on  that  occasion 
'Jesus  passed  by'  in  vain,  without  leading  some  to  cry 
out :  '  Have  mercy  on  us,  0  Lord,  thou  son  of  David.' 

"  A  very  pleasant  evening  was  spent  at  our  house  with 
the  chief  Sandilli  and  his  councillors,  of  which  an  account, 
from  the  pen  of  my  youthful  daughter,  appeared  in  the 
Juvenile  Missionary  Magazine,  for  January,  1861.  The 
respect  shown  to  Mr.  Soga  by  his  sable  countrymen  I 
cannot  forget ;  it  was  respect  to  the  man  and  his  office — 
the  homage  of  hereditary  rank  to  the  dignity  conferred 
by  education,  Christianity,  unselfishness,  and  acknowledged 
high  moral  worth.  It  would  have  been  a  fine  subject  for 
the  pencil  of  an  artist. 

"  After  Mr.  Soga's  return  home,  he  sent  me  the  accom- 
panying letter.  The  '  Wallace'  referred  to  was  a  very  fine 
Newfoundland  dog,  which  my  nephew  had  the  pleasure  to 
give  him.  The  '  cushion'  was  the  present  of  Mrs.  Captain 
Wilson,  a  neighbour  of  ours,  whom  he  had  met  at  our 
house.  The  *  Bible'  was  the  appropriate  and  highly- valued 
gift  of  His  Royal  Highness  Prince  Alfred,  now  the  Duke  of 
Edinburgh.  The  letter  may  illustrate  some  points  of  our 
friend's  character.     It  is  as  follows : — 

*  Emgwali,  nth  October,  1860. 

'  1  cannot  forget  you  nor  Mrs.  Thompson,  nor  Ralph, 
Miss  Jessie,  the  friend  of  Sandilli 's  old  councillor,  nor  my 
friend  Willie,   nor  Mr.  Reid,  whose   memories   will   be 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  217 

associated  with  those  of  '' Wallace  f'  and  I  cannot  soon 
forget  Cape  Town  and  the  dear  Christian  friends  whom  I 
had  the  privilege  of  knowing,  and  who  left  upon  my  mind 
an  impression  of  their  kindness  and  Christian  sympathy, 
which  it  will  take  a  great  deal  indeed  to  efface.  Pray, 
remember  me  most  kindly  to  those  dear  friends:  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Pocock,  and  their  daughter ;  to  Mrs.  Meyer  and 
her  husband ;  to  Mr.  Saul  Solomon  ;  to  Mr.  Henry  Solomon 
and  his  family;  to  Captain  and  Mrs.  Wilson,  your  next 
door  neighbours.  Please,  tell  Mrs.  Wilson  that  her  pulpit 
cushion  has  called  forth  many  a  Kafir  shout  of  astonished 
delight  and  admiration.  They  say  when  they  see  it, 
"  We  fancy  we  see  it  already  in  its  place,  on  the  pulpit 
desk."  It  requires  one  to  see  their  countenances  in  order 
to  have  an  idea  of  their  wonder  and  manifestations  of  joy 
at  the  sight  of  the  Prince's  Bible,  and  Mrs.  Wilson's  pulpit 
cushion.  The  next  great  object  of  mingled  admiration 
and  dread  is  Wallace  !  He  is  constantly  beside  me, 
except .  when  he  scampers  off  to  play  with  Nimrocl,  my 
other  dog,  whom  Wallace  has  installed  into  friendly  favour 
and  consideration.  He  condescends  even  to  sup  out  of 
the  same  dish  with  him.  But  it  is  amusing  to  see  the 
evidences  of  trepidation  on  any  one  who  approaches  me 
while  Wallace  is  crouching  beside  me.  "  Will  he  bite  ?  I 
am  afraid!"  is  the  usual  inquiry  and  confession.  The 
capabilities  of  Wallace  lay  undeveloped  in  the  confine- 
ment of  Cape  Town.  Here  he  has  a  boundless  field  for 
their  exercise,  and  full  scope  for  developing  all  his  talents, 
and  so  pigs  and  goats  and  fowls  have  often  to  race  it  very 
hard  for  life.  I  am  afraid  of  going  out  with  him,  for  he 
dashes  into  places  where  I  am  in  dread  of  his  encountering 
a  snake.  His  liveliness  is  astonishing.  Dogs  which  were 
reckoned  fierce  on  the  Station  keep  a  good  distance  off  from 


218  TIYO  SOGA. 

Wallace  while  they  bark.  He  is,  for  one  thing,  exceed- 
ingly plucky.  In  the  "  Waldensian'  there  were  about 
nine  pointers.  He  made  them  all  2/eZp,  if  they  annoyed 
him.  He  was  the  favourite  of  all,  and  was  without 
exception  the  handsomest  dog  on  board.  Every  person 
was  kind  to  Wallace,  and  so  I  had  no  special  care  of  him. 
You  will  be  astonished  to  hear  that,  as  a  watch  dog,  I 
rather  encourage  the  fighting  propensities  of  Wallace, 
that  is,  I  do  not  restrain  him.  When  I  was  away  Mrs.  S. 
was  annoyed  by  some  one  stealing  her  firewood  at  night. 
I  don't  think  now,  considering  the  dread  of  Wallace  with 
which  every  person  seems  to  be  inspired,  that  nasty  trick 
will  be  repeated.  One  Kafir  remarked  of  Wallace  in  my 
hearing,  "  I  think  if  he  were  to  fasten  upon  one,  he  would 
make  him  bawl  out,  although  he  were  a  man ;"  a  nfian, 
according  to  Kafir  notions,  should  endure  all  without 
giving  any  expression  to  his  feelings.  So  much  for 
Wallace. 

'  The  good  providence  of  our  God  brought  us  safely  to 
our  families  and  friends  about  eight  days  ago.  From  Cape 
Town  to  Port  Elizabeth  we  made  a  splendid  run  of  48 
hours,  the  shortest  passage  the  Waldeiisiaii  ever  made 
between  the  two  ports.  Our  passage,  however,  from  Port 
Elizabeth  to  East  London  was  rough  and  tedious,  yet  we 
got  in  safely  on  the  Friday  afternoon,  and  landed  in  the 
evening.  Next  morning  we  started  on  horseback  with 
our  friend  Mr.  Cachet  for  King  William's  Town,  which  we 
reached  at  dusk.  Mr.  Cachet  and  1  preached  for  Rev.  John 
Brownlee  on  Sabbath — a  day  of  a  most  extraordinary  fall 
of  rain.  At  East  London,  we  had  the  pleasure  of  meeting 
with  the  good  Bishop  Cotterill  of  Grahamstown. 

*  I  parted  from  Mr.  Cachet  on  Monday,  and  then  started 
with  Mr.  Brownlee  and  my  sister-in-law  for  the  Mgwali. 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  219 

When  I  was  about  twelve  miles  from  the  station  and  after 
having  just  parted  from  Mr.  Brownlee  my  horse  knocked 
up ;  and  so  for  eight  miles  I  had  to  foot  it.  But  I  was 
going  hoTYie,  and  the  image  of  my  wife,  children,  and 
people,  added  fuel  to  my  energies,  and  I  suffered  no 
harm.  This  incident  suggested  to  my  mind  the  passage : 
"  Endure  hardness."  At  the  station  I  found  everything 
upon  the  whole  in  a  satisfactory  state.  Death,  however, 
always  busy,  had  during  our  absence  removed  six  persons 
from  among  the  people.  In  all  other  respects  "  the  Lord 
hath  been  mindful  of  us."  Last  Sabbath  I  had  an  over- 
flowing attendance  at  church. 

'  I  have  not  seen  Sandilli  and  his  councillors  since  their 
return.  I  think  he  should  have  come  on  Sabbath  to 
render  thanksgiving  for  his  preservation.  There  had  been 
rumours  afloat  that  he  would  never  return;  but  his 
presence  again  among  his  people  has  silenced  for  once  the 
mouths  of  tale  bearers,  while  it  has  established  confidence 
in  the  truthfulness  of  Sir  George  Grey.  The  Kafirs  will 
now  more  than  ever  place  confidence  in  his  word,  and 
appreciate  his  desire  of  doing  them  and  their  children 
good.  And  now,  my  dear  friend  and  brother,  accept  of 
my  thanks  for  your  kindness  and  the  kindness  of  your 
family  during  my  stay  with  you  in  Cape  Town.  Cape 
Town  will  always  be  associated  with  you  and  your  family 
in  my  memory.  May  the  Lord's  richest  blessing  be  with 
you  and  yours  ! ' " 

At  length,  on  15th  June,  1862,  the  church  for  which 
Tiyo  Soga  had  travelled  so  much  and  pled  so  eloquently ; 
in  the  erection  of  which  he  exercised  so  much  self-denial ; 
and  which  had  formed  the  subject  of  his  most  earnest 
prayers  at  a  throne  of  grace,  was  opened  for  the  public 
worship  of  God.     That  day  is  one  long  to  be  remembered 


220  TIYO   SOGA. 

by  all  who  were  present.  The  annals  of  the  Gaika  history- 
do  not  furnish  a  more  interesting  event  than  that  on  which 
the  friends  of  the  first  ordained  preacher  of  the  Kafir  race 
assembled  at  the  Mgwali  to  congratulate  Tiyo  Soga  on  the 
successful  accomplishment  of  his  work.  The  Sunday  was 
a  wild,  boisterous  day,  a  fierce  tempest  roared,  yet  the 
church  was  crowded  to  overflowing.  The  preachers  on 
the  occasion  were  all  remarkable  men  in  the  Kafir  mission 
field.  There  was  the  Rev.  John  Brownlee,  who  rode 
from  King  William's  Town,  to  testify  in  his  old  age  to  the 
truth  of  that  gospel  which  he  had  preached  for  well-nigh 
50  years,  and  to  remind  his  hearers  of  the  promise  given 
of  old :  "  In  all  places  where  I  record  my  name  I  will 
come  unto  thee  and  I  will  bless  thee."  There  was  the 
Rev.  William  Go  van,  of  Lovedale,  Tiyo  Soga's  teacher 
when  he  was  a  ])upil  at  that  Institution,  illustrating  the 
littleness  and  changeableness  of  man's  work  as  compared 
with  the  greatness  and  stability  of  God's,  "  Nevertheless 
the  foundation  of  God  standeth  sure  having  this  seal ;  The 
Lord  knoweth  them  that  are  his ;  and,  let  every  one  that 
nameth  the  name  of  Christ  depart  from  iniquity."  There 
was  the  Rev.  Bryce  Ross,  of  Pirie,  a  fellow-student  at 
Lovedale,  eloquent  to  a  degree,  contrasting  the  discord 
which  falsehood  and  superstition  spread  abroad,  with  the 
blessings  of  the  gospel  of  Christ.  "  Blessed  are  the  peace- 
makers: for  they  shall  be  called  the  children  of  light." 
There  was  the  Rev.  James  Read,  of  Philipton — himself 
also  a  "  son  of  the  soil " — describing  human  nature  as  the 
same  everywhere,  and  that  all  men  everywhere,  as  a  pre- 
requisite to  salvation,  must  need  utter  the  cry:  "What 
must  I  do  to  be  saved  ? " 

On  Wednesday,  18th  June,  there  was  a  great  public 
meeting  presided  over  by  the  Gaika  Commissioner.     The 


CHURCH  BUILDING.  221 

report  read  on  the  occasion  shows  that  the  church  cost 
£1464  14s.  6d.;  that  the  money  collected  amounted  to 
£1113  2s.  2d.,  of  which  Tiyo  Soga  had  raised  by  his  own 
efforts  £600  and  that  there  remained  upon  the  building  a 
debt  of  £350.  The  speeches,  delivered  on  the  occasion  by 
ministers  of  various  denominations,  by  laymen  and  natives, 
were  reported,  and  received  a  prominent  place  in  the 
United  Presbyterian  Record.  It  is  unuecessary,  therefore, 
to  reproduce  the  eloquence  of  that  day.  The  speeches 
were  full  of  encouragement  and  congratulation  and  mutual 
counsel.  Tiyo  Soga  himself  detailed  all  the  circumstances 
connected  with  the  opening  services  in  a  very  lengthy 
report  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Somerville,  and  concludes  as 
follows : — 

"  The  Mgwali  church  then  is  completed.  This  is  a 
reality;  and  it  has  the  reputation  of  being  the  most 
commodious  and  substantial,  and  the  neatest  native  church 
in  British  Kafiraria.  It  would  be  just  to  myself,  and 
keeping  good  faith  with  those  friends  in  Scotland  who 
responded  to  my  call,  to  have  everything  connected  with 
this  church  laid  before  them.  There  are  many,  I  know, 
who  are  anxiously  waiting  for  a  full  account  of  the 
opening  services.  I  have  given  them  entire  from  the 
Kafir  periodical — The  Indaba.  I  take  this  opportunit}^ 
of  returning  to  the  Board,  and  to  the  friends  of  missions 
in  Scotland,  the  deepest  gratitude  of  my  heart  for  tlic 
services  which  they  have  rendered  to  myself  and  my  poor 
countrymen  in  connection  with  the  building  of  this  church. 
Here  is  the  noble  testimony,  the  monument  of  their 
Christian  liberality,  standing  out  on  our  Mgwali  hill,  con- 
spicuous from  afar :  '  Walk  about  Zion  and  go  round  about 
her;  tell  the  towers  thereof  Mark  ye  well  her  bulwarks, 
consider  her  palaces ;  that  ye  may  tell  it  to  the  generation 


222  TIYO   SOGA. 

following.'  Here  it  is,  as  a  witness  against  the  works 
of  darkness,  which  it  is  the  glorious  prerogative  of  the 
gospel  to  destroy.  You  have  given  us  and  our  children 
an  earthly  inheritance  in  this  house  of  God.  Give  us  your 
blessing  and  your  prayers  along  with  it.  The  church  of 
much  anxiety  and  of  manj^  prayers  is  completed  at  last ; 
and,  though  expensive,  its  worth  is  in  its  workmanship 
and  appearance.  It  shall  be  my  utmost  endeavour — God 
giving  me  health — to  clear  off  the  remaining  debt.  May 
the  Lord  so  bless  the  efforts  which  we  are  already  putting 
forth,  that  in  a  year  we  may  have  the  debt  either  swept 
away  or  greatly  reduced  !  All  that  I  have  done,  I  have 
done  conscientiously,  and  to  promote  most  assuredly  not 
the  perishable  and  transitory  glory  of  man,  but  the 
honour  and  glory  of  Him  whose  praises  are  from  all 
eternit}'-.  There  are  a  thousand  things  that  might  be  done 
for  the  elevation  of  the  Kafir  race ;  but  they  require  means 
and  resources  which  we  cannot  command,  and  so  in  all 
likelihood  the  church  of  the  Mgwali  is  the  utmost  limit  of 
my  humble  efforts  to  serve  them.  The  church  has  already 
been  blessed.  It  has  been  the  spiritual  birth-place  of 
fourteen  souls,  received  into  the  fellowship  of  the  Church 
since  its  opening.  Its  gates  have  been  opened  to  worship- 
pers ;  it  is  filled  already  with  a  motley  assembly  of  heathen 
and  Christian  natives." 

The  church  itself  is  an  unpretentious  building,  and 
possesses  no  architectural  beauty  or  ornamentation.  Yet 
that  pile  of  bricks  and  mortar  cost  the  zealous  Kafir 
missionar}^  no  small  expenditure  of  physical  energy.  "  I 
have  had  many  an  anxious  day,"  he  writes,  "  and  I  have 
learned  some  bitter  experience  out  of  which  to  build  a 
most  admirable  future  church."  As  it  neared  completion, 
the   thoufjht  of  the  debt  with   which   it  was  burdened 


CHURCH   BUILDING.  223 

pressed  heavily  upon  him.  His  otherwise  cheerful  face 
began  to  wear  an  anxious  troubled  expression,  and  his 
friends  saw  that  his  health  had  greatly  suffered.  The  one 
merit  of  the  church  is  its  commodiousness  ;  it  has  nothinof 
of  the  "  dim  religious  light"  of  an  ecclesiastical  building ; 
the  flood  of  sunshine  which  pours  in  by  its  large  windows 
seems  too  great  for  a  land  "in  which  it  seems  always 
afternoon." 

Yet  if  ever  church  was  built  with  a  sincere  and  honest 
aim  to  save  souls  and  glorify  the  Great  Master  Builder,  it 
was  this  Mgwali  church,  which,  as  long  as  it  stands,  will 
remain  a  monument  not  of  the  architectural  skill,  but  of 
the  unwearied  self-sacrifice  of  Tiyo  Soga,  its  first  minister. 
When  it  crumbles  into  dust,  his  earnest  pious  soul  will 
still  continue  to  reap  the  reward  of  his  willing  offering. 


CHAPTER  XIY. 

BEAKING  PRECIOUS   SEED. 
"  Always  abounding  in  the  work  of  the  Lord." 

Whilst  the  church  was  gi-adually  rising  on  its  foundation, 
Tiyo  Soga  was  not  so  wholly  absorbed  in  its  erection  as  to 
be  neglectful  of  the  true  work  of  a  missionary.  Many  of- 
his  friends,  who  were  not  aware  of  the  amount  of  his 
labours,  complained  of  his  silence.      "  I  shall  take  the 

earliest  opportunity  of  writing  to  Mr.  ,"  says  Tiyo 

Soga  to  Mr.  Bogue.  "  Alas  !  my  friends  are  exacting  too 
much  in  this  respect  from  me.  I  would  wish  to  fulfil  all 
their  expectations ;  but  I  shall  fail  in  many  respects.  I 
wish  they  would  pay  a  visit  to  this  place,  and  then  say 
how  much  leisure  a  man,  who  has  to  superintend  the 
quarrying,  brickmaking,  woodcutting,  «fcc.,  for  the  church, 
and  attend  to  all  the  duties  of  a  station,  and  carefully 
prepare  to  preach  three  times  on  Sabbath,  can  have  for 
letter- writing."  One  of  the  services  referred  to  was  for 
the  benefit  of  the  Europeans  who  worshipped  at  the 
Mgwali.  This  service  was  commenced  with  the  station, 
and  was  faithfully  maintained  by  Tiyo  Soga  after  Mr. 
Johnston  left.  This  was  to  him  a  labour  of  love ;  and 
although  it  entailed  much  additional  work,  he  did  not 
spare  himself  It  was  also  a  benefit  to  himself,  as  the 
weekly  preparation  of  an  English  sermon  prevented  his 
total  neglect  of  English  composition.  On  this  point  he 
writes :  "  Men,  I  find,  have  strength  given  to  them  accord- 


BEARING   PRECIOUS   SEED.  225 

ing  to  their  day.  The  composition  of  an  English  sermon 
is  not  now  to  me  so  formidable  a  thing  as  it  once  was,  and 
long  since  I  bade  adieu  to  '  Felix'  and  '  the  Canaanitish 
woman ' ! " 

Some  interesting  incidents  of  mission  work  and  Kafir 
customs  are  recorded  by  him  at  this  time ;  and  as  they 
deserve  more  than  a  passing  notice,  it  is  well  to  have 
them  woven  into  the  story  of  his  life.  The  following 
gives  the  vague  belief  in  a  hereafter,  as  illustrated  by  the 
burial  of  a  heathen  Fingoe  chief,  at  whose  kraal  stated 
religious  services  were  held  by  the  missionary.  This  chief 
had  a  great  respect  for  the  missionary  and  his  message, 
was  ever  ready  to  collect  his  people  for  service,  and  was 
profuse  in  his  expressions  of  welcome  to  Tiyo  Soga  when 
he  made  his  stated  visits  to  his  village.  Suddenly, 
however,  he  was  cut  off  by  disease  ;  and  the  sorrow  of  the 
missionary  was  genuine,  because,  although  Mhlana  was  a 
heathen,  he  nevertheless  manifested  an  interest  in  the 
Gospel  which  no  other  chief  did.  "As  soon  as  the  watchers 
around  Mhlana  perceived  unmistakable  signs  of  the 
approach  of  death,  they  commenced  running  off  with 
some  of  the  articles  within  the  hut,  while  grief  and  con- 
sternation were  strongly  marked  on  their  countenances. 
The  excitement  was  quite  as  great  as  when  people  wish  to 
save  something  from  a  burning  house.  The  reason  is,  that 
the  house  in  which  a  person  has  died  is  by  the  heathen 
considered  unclean,  and  is  either  pulled  down,  or  allowed 
to  decay,  or  committed  to  the  flames  with  all  its  contents. 
The  things  that  were  so  eagerly  carried  out  of  the  hut, 
before  they  were  rendered  unclean  by  the  presence  of 
death,  in  all  probability  belonged  to  the  wife  of  Mhlana. 

"  A  few  minutes  thereafter  the  chief  drew  his  last  breath. 
The  men  of  the  village  immediately  assembled,  and  held 


220  TIYO   SOGA. 

a  private  consultation  about  the  funeral  arrangements. 
There  were  some  technicalities  in  this  burial,  as  he  was  a 
chief,  which  otherwise  would  have  been  dispensed  with. 
The  Galekas,  of  which  tribe  Mhlana  was  a  Fingoe  chief, 
because  of  their  distance  from  European  influences,  were 
the  conservators  of  Kafir  ancient  usages  much  more  than 
we  Gaikas  are. 

"  The  consultation  of  Mhlana's  councillors  resulted  in 
the  selection  of  five  principal  men  of  their  number  '  to 
bury  the  chief  This  consisted  in  swathing  the  corpse  in 
his  kaross  with  broad  bands  of  the  inner  bark  of  the 
mimosa,  and  then  carrying  the  body  to  the  grave  and 
disposing  of  it  in  its  last  resting-place  after  their  own 
curious  fashion,  amid  the  wild  and  vehement  wailing  of 
men  and  women,  to  show  their  sense  of  the  greatness  of 
their  loss. 

"  These  five  men,  as  soon  as  selected,  commenced  their 
sorrowful  work  by  stripping  themselves  of  their  blankets 
and  appearing  as  nude  as  at  birth.  They  then  bound  their 
waists,  upper  body,  arms  and  legs,  each  limb  separately 
with  the  bands  of  the  mimosa  bark.  Then  they  approached 
the  hut,  and  opposite  to  where  the  body  of  the  chief  lay, 
they  removed  the  thatch  from  the  outside,  and  made  an 
entrance  similar  to  the  common  entrance  of  a  Kafir  hut. 
The  body  was  to  be  carried  through  this  new  opening  at 
the  back,  not  by  the  old  one.  I  cannot  account  for  this 
singular  custom.  By  this  new  opening  the  men  entered 
and  had  the  body  bound  up  in  the  kaross.  They  then 
looked  round  the  hut,  and  from  the  chief's  personal  effects, 
selected  a  mat,  which  is  a  Kafir  bed,  a  calabash  from 
which  he  drank  his  beer,  an  earthen  vessel  or  basin,  in 
which  he  was  wont  to  take  his  meals,  a  drinking  cup,  and 
a  tin  rauii:.     These  all  were  to  be  buried  with  him.     Most 


BEARING    PllECIOUS   SEED.  227 

assuredly  here  we  have  distinct  traces  of  a  Kafir  belief 
that  the  spirit  required  the  use  of  these  articles  whither 
it  had  gone.  Were  we  to  ask  the  meaning,  they  would 
say :  *  We  do  not  know.  It  is  our  usual  custom.'  Once, 
however,  they  must  have  been  a  distinct  belief,  and  with 
a  definite  meaning  which  has  since  been  lost. 

"  After  this  '  sitting  apart '  as  they  call  it  of  the  personal 
effects  to  be  buried  along  with  the  chief,  they  carried  the 
body  out  by  the  new  door-way  made  for  it,  and  took  it 
round  the  hut  in  such  a  way  as  not  to  pass  the  old  entrance. 
There  must  be  a  meaning  here  also.  The  grave  was  dug 
close  to  the  cattle  kraal.  It  was  a  grave  within  a  grave. 
After  they  had  dug  down  a  suflScient  depth  they  excavated 
a  lateral  or  side  chamber  for  the  reception  of  the  body 
(Isaiah  xiv.  15 ;  Ezekiel  xxxii.  23).  The  people,  who 
attended  in  large  numbers,  whenever  they  saw  that  the 
body  which  was  carried  on  a  litter  had  reached  the  grave, 
went  off  to  collect  stones.  This  was  soon  done.  The 
burying  men  then  selected  the  stones  with  the  smoothest 
surface  and  of  nearly  equal  sizes,  and  laid  them  in  the 
inner  chamber,  paving  it  as  it  were,  so  as  to  form  a  bed 
for  the  body.  The  body  was  then  carefully  laid  on  its 
side  on  this  bed  of  stone  in  the  usual  sleeping  posture  of 
the  Kafirs,  with  the  legs  drawn  up.  The  swathings  were 
now  taken  off,  the  kaross  was  thrown  over  the  body,  the 
face  uncovered  down  to  the  neck,  and  the  appearance  of 
the  corpse,  thus  disposed,  was  that  of  a  man  enjoying  a 
comfortable  repose. 

"  Afterwards  they  took  the  longer  stones  and  laid  them 
perpendicularly  side  by  side  so  as  to  separate  the  inner 
chamber  from  the  outer  gravel.  These  stones  were  so 
placed  together  as  to  close  the  inner  grave  thoroughly. 
The  personal  effects  of  the  man  were  then  placed  upon 


228  TIYO   SOGA. 

another  layer  of  stones  in  the  outer  grave,  and  as  near 
to  the  corpse  as  possible.  His  eldest  son  was  then  called, 
a  spade  was  handed  to  him,  and  he  was  instructed  to 
take  of  the  loose  earth  and  cast  it  into  the  grave.  He 
did  this  once.  Others  of  his  boys  were  also  called,  and 
did  the  same.  After  them  came  an  old  woman,  probably 
the  chief's  mother  and  did  as  the  lads  had  done;  but  she 
offered  a  prayer  to  the  departed,  and  said :  '  Thou  must 
remember  and  look  kindly  upon  me.'  Another  old  woman 
came  forward,  and  after  taking  up  the  earth  with  the 
spade  and  emptying  it  into  the  grave  she  said;  'Thou 
must  behold  me,  thou  who  art  gone  to  the  many.'  Lastly 
an  old  man  took  up  the  earth,  and  cast  it  in  and  then 
concluded  with  the  prayer:  'Thou  must  look  upon  me 

thou  son  of ,'  naming  the  departed  chief's  father, '  thou 

who  hast  gone  to  the  lioly'  This  last  sentence  is  perhaps 
a  Christian  idea.  When  all  was  finished,  the  people 
standing  around  the  grave  with  one  voice  said:  'Hail 
Mhlana ! '  These  were  old  people  who  buried  their  chief 
and  offered  up  prayer  to  his  departed  spirit,  according  to 
the  form  of  old  established  custom.  Are  not  these  vestiges 
of  an  older  and  more  definite  faith  in  the  immortality  of 
the  soul  ?  But  it  does  not  matter  now ;  though  once  in 
darkness  they  may  now  be  made  light,  for  '  the  people  that 
sat  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great  light ;  and  to  them  that 
sat  in  the  region  and  shadow  of  death  light  is  sprung  up." 
When  journeying  to  the  Colony  to  collect  funds  for  his 
church,  Tiyo  Soga  came  unexpectedly  upon  one  of  his 
countrymen,  crushed  by  a  sorrow,  under  which  he  refused 
to  be  comforted.  The  mourner  was  a  desolate  barbarian, 
weeping  for 

"  The  touch  of  a  vanished  hand, 
For  the  sound  of  a  voice  that  is  still." 


BEARING  PRECIOUS   SEED.  229 

The  picture  of  the  inconsolable  widower,  as  well  as  the 
tender  sympathy  of  this  civilized  brother,  are  so  graphically 
and  touchingly  told,  that  we  give  the  incident  as  described 
by  Tiyo  Soga  hhnself.  This  "  one  touch  of  nature  "  shows, 
that  however  men  may  differ  as  to  colour,  race,  or  rank, 
they  are  equally  and  similarly  affected  by  the  joys  and 
sorrows  of  life  : — 

"  On  my  way  to  Glenthorn,"  he  writes,  "  in  the  month 
of  September,  I  was,  in  company  of  an  after  rider,  descend- 
ing a  steep  mountain,  one  of  the  Amatole  range,  from 
which  the  Keiskama  has  its  rise.  As  we  approached  one 
of  our  African  small  kloofs,  issuing  from  the  base  of  the 
mountain,  my  ears  caught  the  sounds  of  a  voice  as  if 
wailing,  yet  I  was  not  sure.  A  painful  impression  was 
made  on  my  mind,  and  as  I  suddenly  reined  up  my  horse, 
I  noticed  that  the  sound  had  also  arrested  a  party  of 
travelling  Kafirs  on  the  ridge  immediately  opposite  the  one 
on  which  I  had  checked  the  progress  of  my  horse.  One 
of  them  immediately  struck  out  from  the  rest,  to  look  over 
the  kloof  and  see  what  was  the  matter.  When  we  had 
paused,  and  the  creaking  noise  of  the  saddle  had  ceased, 
and  the  hard  tramp  of  the  horse's  hoofs  on  our  dry  African 
road  was  silenced,  there  was  no  longer  any  doubt  that 
the  sound  was  that  of  a  human  voice,  in  bitter  and 
wild  lamentation,  issuing  from  the  depths  of  the  ravine. 
Presently  a  man  appeared.  His  blanket  hung  loosely 
about  his  shoulders,  the  palm  of  his  right  hand  was 
resting  on  the  crown  of  his  head,  and  the  head  itself  was 
slightly  inclined  to  the  one  side.  This  attitude  which, 
to  be  understood,  must  be  seen — indicates  to  the  Kafirs, 
great  grief  and  dejection  of  spirit.  The  man  was  sobbing 
aloud,  and  broken  sentences,  the  meaning  of  which  we 
vainly  strained  our  ears  to  catch,  were  intermixed  with 


230  TIYO   SOGA. 

stron<:]r  cries.  He  was  moving  slowly  down  the  kloof, 
going  as  if  towards  a  kraal  not  far  off,  weeping  bitterly 
as  he  went. 

"  The  manifold  griefs,  sorrows,  and  pains,  to  which  this 
poor  humanity  of  ours  is  subject  in  tliis  well-named  '  vale 
of  tears,'  came  with  melancholy  reality  upon  my  mind. 
There  is  a  fellow-being,  not  far  from  me,  I  said  to  myself, 
yea,  a  poor  countryman  of  my  own,  with  a  heart  torn, 
lacerated,  and  bleeding,  from  the  fell  blow  of  some  great 
misfortune,  and  I  must  see  him,  and  discover,  if  I  can,  the 
cause  of  so  unusual  a  grief,  and  soothe  his  troubled  spirit. 

"  On  approaching  him  I  saw  that  he  was  a  heathen 
Fingoe,  with  a  countenance  that  pleaded  eloquently  for 
sympathy.  There  was  another  man  beside  him  gently 
pushing  him  forward.  In  expostulatory  terms  he  said  to 
him, '  Oh,  do  go  home ;  stay  not  in  this  place  !'  His  reply, 
amid  a  flood  of  tears,  was,  '  Leave  me  alone  !'  Seeing  his 
overpowered  emotions,  and  scarcely  knowing  what  first  to 
say,  I  interposed  for  him,  and  said  to  his  friend,  who  was 
very  tender  withal,  '  Deal  gently  with  him,  and  leave  him 
alone,  as  he  says.'  I  defy  any  man  with  the  least  spark 
of  humanity  in  him  to  have  withstood  that  touch  of 
nature.  The  most  frigid  heart  could  not  but  have  yearned 
with  pity  for  this  unhappy  man,  when  the  cause  of  his 
grief  was  ascertained.  His  excess  of  sorrow  did  honour 
to  our  humanity,  and  showed  that  even  in  the  bosoms  of 
men,  called  barbarians,  God  has  implanted  the  noblest  and 
most  refined  feelinofs. 

"  Feeling  as  if  I  was  an  intruder  upon  his  grief,  I  asked, 
in  a  very  (^uiet  subdued  way,  what  was  the  matter  ?  His 
friend  rephed  :  '  The  matter  is  his  griefs.'  '  What  griefs  V 
said  I.  '  Two  months  ago,  within  a  short  time  of  one 
another,  he  lost  his  two  children  and  their  mother :  and 


BEARING   PRECIOUS   SEED.  231 

though  all  that  time  has  elapsed  since  they  died,  he  cannot 
fomet  them,  and  will  not  be  comforted.'  1  addressed 
myself  to  the  disconsolate  man,  and  assuring  him  of  my 
sympathy  and  disinterestedness  in  coming  out  of  my  way 
to  know  the  cause  of  his  grief,  I  added  :  '  Had  you,  my 
dear  friend,  known  God,  as  Christians  know  Him,  you 
would  this  day  have  been  comforted  in  your  sorrow.  You 
would  have  known  that  His  hand  had  thus  laid  you  low, 
by  taking  your  two  children  and  their  mother.  You  would 
have  known  that  even  in  such  afflictions  He  is  kind,  and 
sends  them  for  our  good.  That  would  have  comforted 
you,  and  dried  up  your  tears ;  and  then  you  would  have 
been  cheered  by  the  hopes  which  the  *  Word '  gives  us  of 
another  and  better  country,  to  which  our  friends  go  when 
they  leave  us,  and  where,  when  we  die,  we  shall  also  go, 
to  meet  with  our  friends  and  be  happy  with  them  for  ever. 
Do  you  know  anything  of  God  V  '  No,  my  father's  son,  I 
wish  I  did/  was  his  reply ;  '  if  I  knew  Him  indeed,  as  ye 
know  Him,  I  would  this  day  ask  Him  to  allow  me  to  follow 
my  children  and  my  wife.  Perhaps  you  knew  my  wife, 
the  daughter  of  Sobekile ;  you  may  have  heard  of  her. 
She  was  my  only  wife.  She  did  not  live  long  after  her 
children ;  and  now  that  they  have  left  me,  I  feel  that  I  am 
no  man.  I  was  something  by  them.  I  am  nothing  now. 
It  is  not  worth  while  any  longer  to  live.  Do  you  know,' 
he  asked  me,  '  why  you  find  me  in  this  place  ?  Here,  I 
buried  them.  I  came  to  weep  at  their  graves.  I  did  it 
purposely.  I  did  it  because  we  have  a  belief  among  us 
that  if  a  friend  comes  to  weep  at  the  grave  of  a  friend,  it 
will  not  be  long  until  he  follows.  I  would  go  after  them 
if  I  could.' 

"  In  his  expressive  language  he  spoke  much  more  to  the 
same  purpose  than  I  have  here  related.     All  the  time 


232  TIYO   SOGA. 

'  rivers  of  waters'  were  flowing  down  his  sable  cheeks. 
His  language,  the  earnestness  of  his  manner,  and  his 
deeply-felt  grief,  amazed  and,  I  must  confess,  startled  me. 
From  such  a  man  I  did  not  expect  such  sensibility  of 
feeling,  nor  such  touching  illustrations  of  his  sorrow.  I 
should  be  inclined  to  set  down,  as  a  veritable  savage,  the 
man  who  could  have  seen  and  heard  that  Fingoe-Kafir, 
and  yet  not  sorrow  with  him  in  his  heart  of  hearts.  I 
have  not  added  one  iota  to  the  above  expressions  of  his 
sad  bereavement.  I  poured  into  my  poor  friend's  heart 
all  the  consolations  I  could  command  suited  to  his  case, 
and  preached  the  Gospel  to  him.  I  left  him  somewhat 
composed.  The  impressions  of  that  man's  grief  will  not 
be  easily  obliterated  from  my  mind.  I  understood  that 
day,  in  a  new  light,  the  force  of  the  Apostle's  exhortation 
to  the  Christians  of  Thessalonica,  when  he  said  concerning 
those  who  had  fallen  asleep  in  Jesus,  they  were  to  sorrow 
not '  as  others  who  have  no  hope.' 

"  When  I  communicated  the  above  incident  to  the  Rev. 
William  Greenstock,  a  pious  and  devoted  missionary  of 
the  Church  of  England,  whose  station  is  about  five  miles 
from  the  man's  kraal,  he  told  me  that  when  his  wife  died 
he  came  to  the  station,  ordered  a  coffin  in  which  to  bury 
her,  and  paid  for  it." 

From  Tiyo  Soga's  Journal  we  find  that  he  was  most 
assiduous  in  his  itinerations,  visitinor  the  surrounding 
villages,  and  embracing  every  opportunity  of  preaching 
the  Gospel  to  his  countrymen,  and  conversing  with  them 
on  spiritual  things.     A  few  extracts  are  given  : — 

"  12th  June,  1800. — We  went  to  the  Bolo  early  to-day, 
to  open  Fotheringham  School.  This  was  done  under  most 
delightful  circumstances.  The  parents  of  those  children 
for  whom  the  school  is  designed,  and  whom  we  specially 


BEARING  PRECIOUS   SEED.  233 

wished  to  be  present,  came  in  large  numbers.  We  had  an 
interesting  service,  at  which  I  preached  from  the  text, 
'  The  people  that  walked  in  darkness  have  seen  a  great 
light,'  &c.  There  were  in  the  school-hut  184  persons, 
including  children.  After  service,  the  company  sat  down 
to  a  repast  prepared  by  the  people  of  the  place.  The 
intervals  between  this  sort  of  soiree  were  occupied  by 
appropriate  addresses  from  our  people.  The  heathen 
joined  heartily  by  responding  to  our  sentiments  of  good- 
will. The  addresses  demonstrated  to  parents  the  import- 
ance of  their  children  being  taught,  and  the  blessedness  of 
the  people  to  whom  the  Gospel  has  come.  There  was  a 
genuine  cordiality  of  feeling  among  all  present.  The  chief 
men  of  the  Bolo  were  present.  I  have  no  doubt  of  our 
succeeding  with  the  school;  and  with  reference  to  the 
success  of  the  Gospel  among  these  people,  I  am  very 
sanguine.  Service  is  held  every  Sabbath  at  this  place. 
May  the  Lord  add  His  own  blessing  !  Singobanina  tina  ? 
Who  are  we  ? 

"  1st  July,  1860,  Lord's  Day — A  good  attendance  to-day. 
A  number  of  the  people  from  the  neighbourhood.  There 
are  more  hopeful  indications  of  a  good  state  of  feeling  in 
some  towards  the  Word.  The  people  at  one  of  the  kraals 
at  the  Golonci  seem  to  have  been  somewhat  awakened  out 
of  their  indifference,  by  a  singular  circumstance  connected 
with  the  death  of  a  young  boy  belonging  to  the  place. 
Although  the  boy,  so  far  as  the  parents  knew,  had  never 
been  at  a  place  of  worship,  or  heard  the  preaching  of  the 
Word,  yet  in  dying  he  called  his  parents  and  a  sister,  and 
said,  '  Tandazani,'  or,  '  Be  instant  in  prayer.' 

"  ^^ih  July. — I  went  to-day  to  Sakela's  kraal.  I  had 
two  special  objects  in  view  in  going  there.  The  first  was 
to  vaccinate  the  people,  as  smallpox  is  now  raging  fatally 


234  TIYO   SOGA. 

in  some  parts  of  KafFraria  and  the  Colony.  I  found,  bow- 
ever,  to  my  disappointment  and  to  the  disappointment  of 
the  people,  that  the  two  young  persons  I  had  previously 
vaccinated,  and  from  whom  I  expected  to  get  virus  to 
vaccinate  the  others,  had  not  taken.  My  second  object 
was  to  see  Sakela,  one  of  Sandilli's  noted  men,  who,  there 
is  every  reason  to  believe,  is  falling  into  a  decline.  When 
I  saw  him  to-day  he  was  better,  and  somewhat  cheerful ; 
but  he  is  decidedly  losing  strength,  and  in  a  little  time,  I 
fear,  will  succumb  to  the  progress  of  the  fatal  disease.  I 
held  a  meeting  at  his  kraal,  at  which  32  persons  were 
present.  It  was  really  one  of  the  most  interesting  services 
I  have  ever  had  with  my  poor  benighted  countrymen. 
After  I  had  preached  and  engaged  in  prayer  I  said  to 
them,  '  Do  you  know,  my  friends,  that  we  consider  you 
Gaikas  to  be  somewhat  hardened  against  the  Word.  You 
oflfer  no  outward  opposition  to  it  when  we  come  among 
you.  You  receive  us  cordially,  and  listen  patiently  to 
what  we  say.  But  you  show  no  special  interest  in  it. 
You  listen  like  men  who  have  either  heard  quite  enough, 
or  who  did  not  care  about  it.  Now,  why  is  this  ?  I,  for 
one,  regard  it  as  a  good  symptom  when  men  are  properly 
inquisitive  about  these  strange  news  which  have  come  to 
us.  It  is  surely  our  interest  to  know  and  understand  all 
that  is  said  to  have  come  to  us  from  God.' 

"  I  was  delighted  with  the  spirit  in  which  they  took 
up  my  remarks.  Sakela  himself,  and  a  brother  of  his, 
apf)eared  to  be  seriously  impressed,  and  conversed  freely, 
and  so  also  did  a  woman  whose  heart  was  seriously  inter- 
ested in  the  things  of  which  we  had  spoken.  This  woman 
joined  most  heartily  in  tlie  conversation.  I  have  her 
earnest  look  still  most  vividly  impressed  on  my  memory. 
One  of  her  remarks,  in  the  course  of  our  animated  talk, 


BEARING   PRECIOUS   SEED.  235 

was  this :  '  We  really  sometimes  do  feel  the  force  of  what 
the  people  who  go  about  with  the  Word  of  God  say,  as, 
for  example,  when  they  put  the  case  thus — Would  you  go 
and  hurl  yourselves  headlong  over  a  precipice,  knowing  it 
to  be  a  precipice  ?  or,  would  you  rush  into  the  fire  with 
your  eyes  open  ?  We  feel  indeed  that  this  we  could  not 
do.'  I  spoke  of  their  customs,  which  stand  so  much  in 
the  way  of  their  embracing  the  Gospel.  I  pointed  out 
strongly  their  uselessness,  and  asked  them,  '  Now,  what 
difference  is  there  between  you  and  me  ?  I  am  one  of  you, 
a  Kafir  as  well  as  you ;  I  am  one  of  your  own  tribe  and 
nation.  Why  am  I  not  clad  in  a  red-painted  blanket 
as  you  are,  or  have  my  ankles  and  wrists  ornamented 
with  such  tinkling  chains  as  ornament  yours  ?  Simply 
because  I  have  been  taught  to  see  the  utter  uselessness 
of  such  things  to  an  immortal  beinoj  such  as  I  am.  I 
would  not  for  the  world  exchange  places  with  you ;  not 
because  I  despise  you,  or  cousider  myself  superior  to  you, 
but  because  I  know  that  to  live  as  you  are  now  living  is 
certain  aJd  future  ruin.'  The  woman  said,  '  It  is  indeed 
nothing  but  these  useless  habits  and  customs  of  ours  that 
are  keeping  us  from  following  the  way  of  God.'  I  spoke 
about  the  profitableness  of  godliness,  as  having  the  promise 
of  the  life  that  now  is  and  of  that  which  is  to  come. 
Sakela  had  previously  remarked  that  all  that  he  had  ever 
heard  from  the  Word  of  God  he  thoroughly  believed ;  but 
still,  he  said,  we  just  see  ourselves  living  as  we  are  living, 
and  doing  what  we  know  God  condemns,  and  we  do  not 
know  how  it  is !  When  I  spoke  about  the  profitableness 
of  godliness,  he  asked,  '  What  would  God  now  say  or  do 
in  the  case  of  a  man  who,  though  he  carried  on  the  ways 
of  sin  yet  prayed  to  Him  and  endeavoured  to  serve  Him  ? ' 
One  of  the  men  immediately  answered,  '  God  would  say 


236  TIYO   SOGA. 

you  are  dealing  doubly  and  hypocritically/  '  Just  so/  I 
added,  '  and  in  His  own  Word  God  expressly  declares,  You 
cannot  serve  two  masters,  &c/  I  said  He  wants  the  entire 
man  to  love  and  serve  Him.  Sakela  at  once  saw  the 
justness  of  the  reply  to  his  question.  They  then  proposed 
to  me  some  theological  nuts  to  crack.  The  profitableness 
of  godliness,  in  reference  to  the  life  to  come,  brought  us 
to  speak  of  the  future  with  its  rewards  and  punishments. 
One  man,  for  the  first  time  in  my  itinerating  experience, 
put  forward  the  case  of  infants.  It  appeared  clear,  from 
the  way  in  which  he  stated  the  case,  that  all  that  he  knew 
of  the  Word  placed  this  matter  in  a  very  unsatisfactory 
light  to  him.  What  w^ould  God  do  in  their  case  ?  Would 
He  punish  them  ?  I  confessed  that  even  J:o  those  who 
knew  the  Word  of  God  better  than  they,  this  was  a 
difficult  matter  to  speak  about ;  at  the  same  time  I  stated 
that  my  own  opinion  was,  that  the  good  merciful  God 
would  not  cast  into  hell  an  infant  who  was  born  to-day 
and  died  to-morrow. 

"  He  went  on  to  pei-plex  me  still  further.  jEe  said : 
*  Men  sin  deliberately,  some  more,  some  less ;  some  for  a 
shorter,  others  for  a  longer  time.'  Then  to  render  his 
question  more  pertinent,  he  said :  '  A  young  person  dies, 
who  has  not  sinned  as  long  as  I  have,  mil  the  punishment 
of  such  be  for  ever?'  I  could  only  answer:  *  All  that  I 
know  of  the  Word  of  God,  on  the  punishment  of  sin,  says 
there  is  no  possibility  of  escape  to  any  who  has  once 
entered  the  regions  of  woe/  I  added  :  '  There  are  many 
things  we  do  not  understand  about  God  and  His  dealings 
with  His  creatures.  We  are  ignorant  beings,  the  result  of 
our  being  sinful.  We  know  very  little  even  of  what  we 
should  know.  It  would  be  strange  that  persons  such  as  we 
are  should  call  in  question  the  ways  of  God,  or  attempt  to 


BEARING   PRECIOUS   SEED.  237 

dictate  to  Him.  Tlierc  is  to  me  a  satisfactory  answer  to 
all  questions  which  I  can  neither  comprehend  nor  explain, 
and  it  is  this :  God  can  never  do  wrong,  and  I  am  quite 
content  to  wait  until  He  sees  it  right  to  reveal  to  me 
what  I  do  not  now  understand.  What  does  a  parent  say 
to  a  child  who  is  inquiring  about  things  far  beyond  his 
capacity  to  understand,  and  which  he  does  not  now 
know?  He  says:  When  you  grow  up  to  he  a  onan  you 
will  understand  this.  Here  we  are  in  the  infancy  of  our 
being.  Hereafter  we  grow  into  manhood,  and  then  we 
shall  understand  better  what  here  we  cannot.'  This 
statement  prevented  further  speculations. 

'' ISth  October,  1860. — Yesterday  at  noon  Catherine 
Tsamse,  one  of  my  inquirers,  died,  in  good  hope  and  very 
happy.  She  was  a  forward  outspoken  girl,  and  as  I  thought, 
had  an  ill-tempered  disposition.  But  in  her  death  all  my 
ungenerous  judgments  were  silenced.  She  spoke  a  good 
deal  before  she  died,  and  comforted  her  sorrowing  father 
and  mother.  Her  replies  to  my  questions  regarding  her 
state  were  very  pleasing.  In  fact  I  think  we  did  inj  ustice 
to  the  character  of  poor  Catherine.  People  judged  her 
perhaps  by  the  natural  and  constitutional  forwardness  of 
her  manner,  which  she  inherited  from  her  mother  and 
grandmother.  When  she  spoke  to  the  people  present, 
one  evening,  they  seemed  astonished  that  she  spoke  so 
decidedly  about  her  death,  and  her  happy  prospects. 
They  said  to  one  another,  'her  mind  is  probably  wandering.' 
She  assured  them  that  they  were  mistaken,  that  she 
spoke  in  calm  earnestness,  and  in  the  full  possession  of  her 
reason,  and  then  enquired :  Why  they  should  be  astonislied 
since  no  one  in  the  near  prospect  of  death  could  speak  as 
she  was  doing,  except  it  was  given  of  God.  An  hour 
before  her  death  I  asked  her  if  she  was  still  looking  stead- 


238  TIYO   SOGA. 

fastly  to  Jesus.  She  answered  '  Yes.'  Then  immediately 
before  the  spirit  took  its  flight,  she  called  upon  her  parents 
to  place  her  in  a  right  position  for  dying,  as  she  was  now 
about  to  depart  and  go  to  her  Father.  As  she  could  not 
be  buried  yesterday — the  coffin  taking  a  long  time  to 
finish— the  funeral  was  on  the  Sabbath.  The  third 
service  therefore  I  made  a  funeral  service  at  the  grave,  at 
which  a  large  number  of  people  were  present,  although 
the  afternoon  was  somewhat  unfavourable.  My  text  was 
'  All  flesh  is  grass,'  &c. 

"16th  January,  1861. — Returned  from  an  itineration 
with  Festire  and  Tobe,  round  the  Izincuka,  Izitolana,  and 
Uinsi.  Took  the  sources  of  the  Tyolohi,  and  preached  at 
Mahamba's  kraal  to  20  people.  This  Mahamba  is  a  Fingoe 
doctor,  and  a  frank,  intelligent  fellow.  He  seldom  passes 
the  station  without  favouring  me  with  a  call,  and  he  has 
often  attended  our  Sabbath  services  with  the  men  of  his 
kraal.  Mahamba  says  that  he  likes  to  listen  to  the  word 
of  God.  This  I  think  is  not  pretence  or  mere  talk  to 
curry  favour  with  the  missionary.  Once  before  when  we 
visited  his  kraal  we  found  him  alone  with  a  few  children, 
the  grown-up  people  being  away  in  their  gardens.  By 
way  of  introducing  ourselves  to  the  man,  we  made  some 
inquiries  about  things  in  general.  In  the  midst  of  our 
inquiries  he  abruptly  asked,  '  And  when  are  you  going  to 
speak  to  us  about  the  word  of  Jehovah,  the  Lord  that  died 
for  us  ? '  Mahamba  had  often  previously  heard  the  gospel. 
At  our  instance  he  called  together  his  children,  and  we 
held  a  short  service  with  them,  during  which  Mahamba 
was  most  attentive.  During  this  tour  I  had  a  long  good- 
natured  argument  with  him  on  the  false  pretensions  of 
native  doctors,  and  the  truthfulness  of  our  Christian 
religion.    I  then  said  to  him,  *  Mahamba,  you  are  a  doctor, 


BEARING  PRECIOUS  SEED.  289 

now  I  should  like  to  know  something  about  those  doctors. 
Do  you  think  you  could  tell  me  all  that  you  know  about 
the  mysteries  of  your  profession  ?  I  know,'  I  continued, 
'  that  there  is  a  good  deal  of  what  is  secret  among  them, 
and  which  the  doctors  are  not  willing  should  be  known  by 
other  men.  Now,  although  you  were  revealing  to  me 
everything,  I  would  not  turn  it  against  you,  and  expose 
you  to  others.  My  object  is  simply  to  preserve  anything 
of  interest  that  relates  to  our  people,  and  when  after 
generations  perhaps  see  what  I  have  written,  they  will  be 
able  to  say,  "  Ah  !  thus  and  thus  did  our  forefathers/ " 
He  said  at  once  with  emphasis,  '  I  will  tell  you  it  all,  as  I 
have  no  fear  of  you!  When  I  asked  Mahamba  how  it 
was  I  had  not  seen  him  for  some  time  in  our  church  on 
Sabbath,  he  gave  some  paltry  excuse,  and  then  said  :  '  It 
is  not  from  any  dislike  to  the  word,  no,  it  is  not  that !  I 
like  to  hear  it.'  '  But,'  said  he,  putting  on  a  most  sly  leer 
of  his  uncommonly  sable  countenance, '  there  is  something 
which  I  cannot  understand  connected  with  my  coming  to 
church.  I  wish  you  would  explain  it.  How  is  it  that  I 
invariably  fall  asleep  in  the  midst  of  the  preaching  ?  I 
am  not  sure  of  this.  There  is  something  suspicious  in  it ! ' 
'  Well,  now,'  T  replied,  '  what  do  you  think  it  is,  Mahamba? 
You  know  that  even  we  people  of  the  station  often  feel 
ourselves  drowsy  during  preaching.  The  best  way,*  I 
added,  *to  keep  yourself  awake,  is  to  fix  your  eyes  and 
thoughts  on  the  preacher,  and  try  and  follow  every  word 
he  says.'  'Ah,  I  have  tried  and  tried  to  do  this,  and  have 
slept  after  all !  /  thinh  there  is  some  heiuitching  ivfiu- 
ence  proceeding  from  the  preacher  T  '  Oh,'  said  I,  very 
much  amused,  '  You  know  that  could  not  be,  for  there  is 
nothing  of  the  dark  art  about  us!'  There  was  another 
way  in  which  I  might  have  answered  him.     It  did  not 


240  TIYO   SOGA. 

strike  me  at  the  time,  but  his  curious  remark  made  me 
think.  I  thought  it  may  not  be  untrue  that  often  the 
uninteresting  manner  and  matter  of  the  preacher  may 
exercise  a  soporific  influence  on  his  audience ;  and  again, 
that  to  men  like  Mahamba,  it  must  cost  a  very  severe 
mental  effort  to  follow  closely  for  a  considerable  length  of 
time  a  closely  connected  argument,  unaccustomed  as  they 
are  to  any  sustained  mental  exertion.  Their  attention 
must  often  flag  when  listening  to  a  discourse  which  is  a 
connected  piece  of  reasoning.  In  this  case,  however,  the 
bewitching  influence  of  sleep  must  be  laid  to  the  charge  of 
the  listener,  and  not  to  the  preacher.  Our  sermons  to  such 
men  should  always  be  lucid,  pointed,  well  illustrated,  and 
short.  There  was  another  statement  made  by  Mahamba, 
which  I  must  make  the  subject  of  a  special  sermon.  '  How 
is  it  that  we  sometimes  hear  of  persons,  among  you  believers, 
who  are  known  as  believers,  and  as  such  are /ear e(i,  turning 
back  to  sin  and  becoming  like  ourselves  ?'  This  he  confessed 
was  one  of  the  things  which  he  could  not  understand, 
about  the  'believers' 

"  From  Mahamba's  we  passed  on,  and  came  to  Mbombo's 
kraal  at  the  Izincuka,  where  we  had  a  congregation  of  30 
people.  There  we  found  two  old  women  who  had  been 
members  of  the  Wesleyan  Church,  and  were  very  much  dis- 
tressed at  the  loneliness  of  their  situation.  We  advised  them 
to  come  and  live  on  the  station.  Left  Mbombo's  kraal,  and 
came  to  Mhle's,  the  headman  or  chief  of  the  Izincuka. 
We  stayed  here  all  night,  and  preached  twice,  when  we 
arrived,  and  next  morning  to  50  people.  Thereafter  we 
directed  our  way  to  the  Izitolana  to  Nkata's  kraal.  The 
people  did  not  come  out  so  well  here,  although  Nkata  was 
indefatigable  in  his  exertions  to  induce  them  to  come. 
They  promised ;  but,  to  his  and  our  no  small  annoyance, 


BEARING  PRECIOUS  SEED.  241 

they  did  not  come.  Had  a  congregation  of  22  people. 
Passed  on  to  the  Urasi — Ndesi's  people.  Well  received  by 
him,  and  had  a  congregation  of  35.  At  all  these  places 
we  were  remarkably  well  received,  and  encouraged  to 
return.  At  the  Izincuka  there  are  now  15  large  kraals, 
at  the  Izincuka  28,  at  the  Umsi  nine.  At  Umhle's  kraal 
we  had  a  free  friendly  conversation  with  an  intelligent 
Fingoe.  This  was  started  in  consequence  of  his  telling  me 
that  the  people  of  his  kraal  were  nearly  all  dead,  and  those 
now  living,  including  himself,  were  in  a  very  precarious 
state  of  health — and  knowing  people  say  that  they  are 
under  some  man's  displeasure. 

"  Lord's  Bay,  19th  October. — A  beautiful  calm  clear  day, 
and  one  of  our  best  days  as  to  attendance ;  people  came 
well  out,  and  there  was  no  empty  space  in  the  church. 
Preached  at  the  first  forenoon  Kafir  service  from  Acts  xiii. 
26  :  '  Unto  you  is  the  word  of  this  salvation  sent.'  The 
attention  of  the  people  was  sustained  to  the  last,  and 
there  seemed  to  be  a  very  serious  impression  produced. 
My  small  English  congregation  came  out  well  also  to-day; 
preached  from  Psalm  cxxxvi.  23.  At  the  second  Kafir 
service  I  preached  from  1  Thess.  v.  6 :  '  Let  us  not  sleep 
as  do  others,'  «Sz;c. ;  also  a  very  good  impression  produced 
upon  the  people.  At  the  conclusion  I  asked  Bacela  to 
pray,  and  he  astonished  me  by  the  impressiveness  of  his 
prayer.  There  was  remarkable  thought  in  it,  clothed  in 
that  figurative  language  which  is  characteristic  of  our 
people.  Praying  for  the  missionary,  he  said :  '  Lord, 
sharpen  him.  What  man  is  there  who  owns  an  axe,  and 
who,  when  he  goes  into  the  bush  to  fell  the  trees,  does  not 
grind  and  sharpen  it,  that  he  may  do  more  execution  with 
it;  or,  what  cutting  instrument  is  it  to  which  the  possessor 
thereof  does  not  endeavour  to  give  the  keenest  edge,  that 

Q 


242  TIYO  SOGA. 

he  may  cut  with  it  to  some  effect?  Do  so  with  Thy 
servant !  The  grindstone  is  in  Thy  hand,  and  so  also  is 
the  power  of  sharpening  upon  it.  Exercise  Thy  power 
upon  hiQi,  then,  0  Lord !' 

''30th  October. — Was  out  to-day.  Had  a  very  good 
meeting  at  Sandilli's ;  50  persons  present,  with  the  chief 
and  his  numerous  wives.  Oba,  the  son  of  Tyali,  and 
grandson  of  Gaika,  being  on  a  visit  to  Sandilli,  was  present 
with  some  of  his  retinue.  All  were  very  attentive.  I 
preached  from  the  words,  'He  that  committeth  sin  is  of  the 
devil.'  After  preaching,  I  tried  to  excite  an  inquiry  into 
the  truthfulness  of  the  Christian  religion.  I  said  to  them, 
'  I  know  that  you  have  your  own  views  on  this  matter, 
and  likewise  your  own  objections.  I  know  also  that  most 
of  you  are  ready  to  assail  our  poor  weak  native  converts, 
who  have  not  much  to  say  about  their  religion ;  and  yet, 
in  the  presence  of  those  who  may  perhaps  be  able  to  give 
a  reason  for  their  faith  you  are  silent,  and  pretend  to 
believe  all  that  is  said.'  The  chief  replied,  '  I  have  no 
objections  to  urge;  any  who  have,  may  state  them.' 
Whereupon  one  man  said,  *  We  have  nothing  to  say;  but 
it  strikes  me  that  in  reference  to  this  thing  (Christianity), 
the  way  in  which  it  has  come  to  us  is  not  right.  I  do  not 
see  how  we  can  receive  it ;  yet  I  do  not  say  it  is  not  true. 
The  Owner  of  it  has  cut  the  thing  in  the  middle,  and 
done  it  by  halves.  You  know  that  we  are  the  remnants 
of  past  generations  of  Kafirs.  Why  was  the  Word  not 
sent  to  our  forefathers,  so  that  we  should  have  received  it 
through  them  in  the  natural  course  of  things  ?  We  do  not 
like  the  idea  that  the  thing  which  is  considered  so  good 
for  us  should  have  been  withheld  from  them.  They  should 
have  received  it  first ;  we  next,  through  them.'  I  replied, 
'  That  mode  of  arguing  will  not  do.     We  cannot  cross- 


BEARING  PRECIOUS  SEED.  243 

question  God's  modes  of  dealing  with  His  creatures.  We 
may  depend  upon  it  that  He  has  done  right  to  our  fore- 
fathers, even  as  He  has  done  right  to  us  in  sending  us  His 
Word.  We  must  take  it,  without  reference  to  its  havinir 
been  sent  or  not  sent  to  our  forefathers.'  I  said,  '  See, 
you  have  on  a  blanket.'  '  Yes.'  '  Our  forefathers  wore 
karosses.'  '  Yes.'  '  You  dig  your  gardens  with  the  white 
man's  plough,  and  spade  and  hoe.'  '  Yes.'  '  Our  forefathers 
dug  them  with  wooden  spades.'  '  Yes.'  '  Well,  but  these 
things  were  not  sent  to  them;  they  did  not  get  them. 
But,  according  to  your  mode  of  reasoning,  you  should  have 
nothing  to  do  with  these  things.  But  you  use  them, 
because  you  see  they  are  good  for  you.  You  like  them ; 
they  are  profitable  to  you,  and  you  have  no  scruples  to 
use  them,  although  in  the  time  of  Tshiwo  and  Palo  they 
were  unknown.'     At  this  point  Oba  had  a  hearty  laugh. 

*  You  must  do  the  same  with  the  Gospel,'  I  proceeded ; 

*  take  it  on  its  own  merits,  on  its  own  suitableness  to  your 
wants,  on  its  profitableness  to  you  as  sinners,  and  not 
with  any  reference  to  the  generations  of  your  forefathers.' 
This  silenced  my  friend ;  for,  amid  a  shout  of  laughter,  he 
exclaimed,  'No,  I  did  not  mean  anything;  I  was  only 
talking^  for  the  sake  of  talking^ !' 

"  3rd  January,  1862. — Last  Sabbath  I  went  to  the 
Bolo,  andWiad  an  interesting  gathering  of  60  people  in  the 
school-hut.  The  Lord  is  giving  great  encouragement  to 
our  humble  efforts  at  the  Bolo.  I  have  there  six  members, 
who  came  from  the  Colony  with  certificates  of  member- 
ship, when  the  location  was  formed  a  year  and  a  half  ago. 
Shortly  thereafter  my  class  of  candidates  was  joined  by 
three  persons  from  that  place.  About  two  months  ago, 
four  others  were,  on  satisfactory  evidence,  admitted  to  the 
class.    The  Lord  has  since  been  blessing:  His  work  to  these 


244  TIYO   SOGA. 

people  at  that  interesting  station.  Last  Sabbath  I  had  the 
pleasure  of  examining  three  young  men,  and  four  married 
women.  These  persons  are  serious,  and  to  all  appearance 
earnest.  The  elders  who  conversed  with  them  are  also 
unanimous  in  recommending  them  as  qualified  persons  for 
the  candidates'  class.  Not  long  ago  these  same  young  men 
would  not  venture  out  of  the  hut  at  their  kraal,  being 
ashamed  to  be  seen  by  me,  for  they  were  smeared  with 
red  paint.  Things  are  very  difierent  at  this  kraal  now ; 
even  those  who  have  not  made  an  open  profession,  now 
diligently  attend  the  service  of  God,  and  are  not  only 
eager,  but  making  efforts  to  read.  God's  ways  of  removing 
the  difficulties  in  the  sinner's  way  of  coming  to  Himself 
are  often  striking  and  startling.  Nine  months  ago,  there 
died  of  smallpox  Makubalo,  the  Fingoe  chief  of  the  Bolo 
district.  This  man  was  always  very  friendly  to  me ;  but 
I  learned  afterwards  that  he  was  a  virulent,  decided,  and 
secret  enemy  of  the  Gospel.  At  the  very  kraals,  from 
which  my  inquirers  have  now  come,  he  exerted  a  pernicious 
influence,  frowning  down  every  appearance  of  seriousness, 
and  laughing  to  scorn  those  who  made  a  profession  of  the 
Truth.  He  was  naturally  clever,  and  had  a  ready  emphatic 
way  of  expressing  himself.  This  was  so  far  in  his  favour, 
and  he  employed  his  natural  gifts  as  formidable  weapons 
to  oppose  the  Truth  of  God.  But  he  was  not  snffered  to 
live.  The  last  time  I  saw  him  was  at  a  kraal  of  one  of  his 
councillors;  the  fatal  poison  must  even  then  have  been 
preying  upon  his  vitals ;  and  four  days  thereafter  I  heard 
that  he  was  dead.  On  the  occasion  I  refer  to,  I  preached 
to  Makubalo  and  his  people  from  the  words :  '  Despisest 
thou  the  riches  of  His  goodness  and  forbearance  and  long- 
Bufiering,'  &c.  He  who  opposed  is  now  taken  out  of  the 
way,  and  the  Gospel  wins  and  triumphs." 


BEARING  PRECIOUS  SEED.  245 

From  these  extracts  the  reader  is  furnished  with  a 
glimpse  of  the  missionary  at  his  work  —  visiting  the 
heathen  villages,  delivering  God's  message  at  his  own 
station,  scattering  the  good  seed,  and  speaking  words 
which  must  exercise  their  influence  and  prove  a  blessing. 
The  numerous  entries  in  his  Journal  show  that  the 
missionary  had  no  idea  of  their  publication  to  the  world. 
The  following  are  fair  specimens  of  these  records : — 

"  Lord's  Day,  ^2nd  November,  i5^^.— Itinerated  at  the 
Gwolonci ;  held  three  meetings  at  different  kraals.  The 
rain  doctor's  remarks  on  the  judgment,  and  God's  winking 
at  past  ignorance  of  natives.  The  woman  with  her  hoe 
returning  from  her  garden.  The  span  of  oxen  ploughing. 
The  man  and  the  bush,  or  place  of  refuge  against  the 
judgment-day.  Very  good  day  on  the  whole,  although 
the  audiences  were  small." 

The  following  letter,  addressed  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson, 
shows  that  it  was  not  all  seed  sowing  at  the  Mgwali  and 
around,  but  that  the  missionary  was  occasionally  cheered 
by  being  permitted  to  gather  in  the  golden  sheaves.  In 
this  letter  is  the  story  of  the  sudden  conversion  of  a  man 
who,  it  is  pleasing  to  record,  remains  steadfast  to  his 
Christian  profession  to  this  day,  and  is  a  resident  at  the 
mission  station  of  another  denomination.  This  letter  also 
expresses  the  earnest  desire  of  Tiyo  Soga  to  raise  funds  to 
enable  the  most  promising  of  his  young  countrymen  at 
his  station  to  learn  some  useful  trades ;  but  his  scheme 
was  not  realized. 

"  2nd  April,  1861. — Your  present  of  sealing  wax  and 
writing  paper  I  have  taken  as  a  broad  hint  to  mend  my 
ways.  It  is  valuable,  therefore,  in  more  ways  than  one. 
I  value  them,  as  also  the  parcel  of  books;  but  what  I 
value  most  is  your  own  much-coveted  new  volume  of 


246  TIYO  SOGA. 

sermons.  Criticism  had  made  me  familiar  with  it.  From 
the  sermon  on  '  The  Theory  of  Affliction  and  Death/  I 
have  added  something  new  to  my  theology.  God  grant 
that  the  perusal  of  the  work  may  not  add  to  mere  theo- 
logical knowledge,  but  to  the  knowledge  of  self,  and  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in  Jesus.  One  thing 
is  certain  about  the  volume,  that  it  is  beyond  the  common 
fate  of  volumes  of  sermons,  of  being  only  an  ornament  to 
book-shelves  and  libraries.  Let  me  also  thank  you  for 
the  Examiner,  so  regularly  sent  and  received.  You  have 
been  truly  mindful  of  my  wants,  Mr.  Bogue  informed 
me  that  you  were  the  sender  of  it;  but  it  was  not 
necessary,  as  the  handwriting  was  too  well  known  to 
be  mistaken. 

"  Regarding  the  ivorh,  the  more  I  reflect  on  its  great 
responsibility,  the  more  do  I  hesitate  to  say  much  about 
it.  I  feel,  also,  that  we,  missionaries,  are  in  great  danger 
of  over-estimating  and  over-colouring  the  successes  of 
our  labours  in  order  to  gratify  friends  at  home  who 
are  interested  in  these  labours.  Nevertheless,  up  to 
this  point  I  have  had  to  sing  of  mercies  in  the  way  of 
encouragement  in  the  work.  Discouragements  I  have 
had,  and  still  have;  but  I  should  wish  to  have  pointed 
out  to  me  a  mission  held  where  all  is  sunshine  and 
prosperity.  If  such  a  field  were  found,  I  would  say  that 
the  Lord  did  not  work  by  ordinary,  but  extraordinary 
means  in  the  hearts  of  men  there;  for  everywhere  the 
natural  heart  of  man  must  offer  a  certain  degree  of 
resistance  to  the  Gospel. 

"  I  have  had,  and  still  have,  difficulties  of  no  ordinary 
nature  here,  but  these  have  been  amply  compensated  by 
even  the  smallest  indications  that  the  Lord  is  still  among 
us.    Would  you  not  think  that  I  was  wholly  undeserving 


BEARING  PRECIOUS  SEED.  247 

of  success  if  I  did  not  acknowledge  the  good  hand  of  our 
God  in  aiding  me  with  our  new  church,  the  first  church 
in  Kafirland,  chiefly  contributed  for  by  the  universal 
liberality  of  the  Colony.  I  may  say  this  without  fear  of 
being  accused  of  egotism  or  self  praise;  for  I  owe  the 
success  not  to  myself,  as  the  Lord  knows.  It  was  a  kind 
of  experiment  I  made,  to  test  the  feelings  of  the  white 
people  towards  the  natives.  I  am  thankful  that  the 
result  exceeded  all  praise.  There  is  no  natural  antipathy, 
after  all,  between  the  two  peoples ;  they  have  only  been 
too  long  mutual  enemies.  There  exists  a  healthy  liberal 
feeling  in  the  Colony  towards  the  natives.  This,  however, 
is  not  universally  the  case;  but  it  does  not  matter,  if  only 
the  beginning  of  a  better  understanding  between  the  races 
has  appeared. 

"As  to  the  present  state  of  evangelistic  missionary 
eflforts,  we  have  also  much  cause  to  be  thankful.  From 
amongst  our  membership  there  are  now  a  good  many 
who  are  the  direct  fruit  of  the  Mgwali  mission;  most 
of  the  candidates,  also,  are  from  the  ranks  of  heathenism, 
fifteen  being  from  Fotheringham,  an  out-station  at  the 
Bolo,  six  miles  from  the  Mgwali.  At  this  place  there 
is  an  earnest  longing  after  better  things  among  the 
people.  It  was  at  this  place  that  an  elderly  man  of 
the  name  of  Thomas,  a  devout,  earnest  character,  said  to 
me,  when  he  expressed  a  desire  to  '  come  out  from  among 
them : '  *  I  find  that  my  life  has  been  without  an  aim ;  I 
have  discovered  that  I  have  been  living  uselessly.'  Two 
sons  of  this  man  have  also  joined  him  in  the  class  of 
inquirers;  so  has  also  his  wife,  the  mother  of  these  young 
men.  They  present  the  beautiful  spectacle  of  a  whole 
family  inquiring  about  the  way  to  be  saved.  May  they 
be  abundantly  blessed  of  the  Lord. 


248  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  Among  my  enquirers  is  a  young  man  who  has  a  some- 
what singular  history;  but  I  think  quite  as  much  of  him  as 
of  any  other  in  the  class.  He  was  a  drinker;  and  though 
not  a  confirmed  drunkard,  was  sufficiently  in  love  with 
the  vile  'Cape  Brandy'  to  have  the  unenviable  name  of 
drunkard  occasionally  whispered  regarding  him.  He  was 
passing  one  day  through  the  kraal  of  a  man  who  was  a  great 
smoker  of  the  seeds  and  leaves  of  a  species  of  wild  hemp, 
which  is  very  abundant  in  some  parts  of  the  country.  It 
is  a  most  dangerous  weed  to  smoke ;  indeed  the  habitual 
smokers  of  it  have  to  attemper  the  smoke,  by  allowing  it 
to  pass  from  the  bowl  to  their  mouths  through  a  huge 
horn  filled  with  water.  Nkohla  thought  he  also  would 
have  a  whiff.  He  had  not  taken  many  draws  when  he  felt 
himself  seized  with  giddiness ;  perspiration  poured  down 
his  face,  and  the  whole  world,  as  he  said,  seemed  in  strange 
motion.  He  felt  himself  to  be  dying ;  and  although  he 
was  not  altogether  master  of  his  senses  during  the  power- 
ful action  of  the  weed  through  his  system,  still  he  felt  a 
great  horror  of  death,  which  did  not  forsake  him  even 
after  he  had  quite  got  over  the  influence  of  the  narcotic. 
He  could  think  of  nothing  else  until  he  felt  compelled  to 
come  to  the  station.  People  thought  that  nothing  would 
ever  come  out  of  this  *  smoke  conversion!  I  tried  his 
sincerity  long  before  I  admitted  him  into  the  class ;  but 
that  sincerity  no  one  denies  or  doubts  now,  as  he  has  for 
more  than  a  year,  amid  much  obloquy  from  his  former 
heathen  companions,  with  whom  he  still  resides,  held  on 
in  the  right  way.  Not  a  Sabbath,  not  a  single  class  of 
inquirers  has  he  missed,  and  he  is  happier  when  he  is 
among  us,  and  away  from  his  heathen  friends.  He  is 
making  efforts  to  read.  His  wife  comes  regularly  to 
church  with  him. 


BEARING  PRECIOUS  SEED.  249 

"But  I  shall  never  consider  myself  as  having  done 
anything  until  something  has  been  done  for  the  rising 
generation  of  my  poor  people,  especially  the  boys.  In  my 
weekly  school  there  are  four  or  five  lads  of  about  14  years 
of  age,  of  most  excellent  promise.  They  might  exhibit 
extraordinary  talent  with  a  superior  education.  The 
country  of  the  Kafirs  is  now  forfeited ;  and  the  greater 
part  of  it  has  been  given  out  in  grants  to  European  farmers. 
Moreover  the  Kafirs  have  no  legal  title  to  their  locations. 
These  things  keep  the  natives  behind  their  white  neigh- 
bours in  the  race  for  improvement,  and  the  Kafirs  have 
neither  the  intelligence  nor  the  means  to  compete  with 
Europeans.  I  see  plainly  that  unless  the  rising  gene- 
ration is  trained  to  some  of  the  useful  arts,  nothing 
else  will  raise  our  people,  and  they  must  be  grooms, 
drivers  of  waggons,  hewers  of  wood,  or  general  servants. 
But  let  our  youths  be  taught  trades,  to  earn  money,  and 
they  will  increase  it,  and  purchase  land.  When  a  people 
are  not  land-proprietors,  they  are  of  no  consequence  in 
this  country,  and  are  tenants  on  mere  sufferance.  We 
cannot  purchase  land,  as  we  have  no  means,  no  trade,  no 
education.  Our  boys  must  be  taught  trades  if  we  are  to 
continue  a  people.  I  do  not  care  for  a  refined  education, 
which  would  not  make  men  of  them,  nor  would  I  plead 
for  a  superior  intellectual  training  for  three-fourths  of 
them.  When  the  church  burden  is  off"  my  shoulders,  do 
you  not  think  that  I  shall  do  something  in  the  way  of 
raising  a  certain  sum  of  money,  on  the  interest  of  which, 
the  best  and  most  promising  lads  may  be  supported  until 
they  are  qualified  artisans,  or  even  something  higher? 
If  God  give  me  health,  I  would,  with  all  my  heart, 
endeavour  to  raise  £1,000  among  the  churches  at  home,  if 
my  scheme  were  not  considered  Utopian.     When  these 


250  TIYO  SOGA. 

lads  were  apprenticed  here,  and  proved  worthy  of  higher 
instruction,  I  would,  by  all  means,  send  them  home  to 
have  a  proper  finish.  At  home  they  would  learn  in  a 
month  what  they  could  not  learn  here  in  a  year.  I  speak 
from  experience.  When  their  education  was  finished,  we 
would  turn  our  energies  towards  others,  and  so  on,  until 
an  influence  was  brought  to  bear  upon  the  whole  race. 
Give  me  your  advice.  I  am  anxious  to  do  something,  to 
arrest  the  waste  of  intellect,  energy,  and  ability,  among 
our  risin":  oreneration.  I  must  not  stand  alone.  Unless 
something  is  done  speedily,  they  will  be  lost  for  ever. 
This  is  our  opportunity.  I  cannot  hope  for  help  from  the 
parents,  as  they  are  contented  to  live  as  they  are.  They 
have  received  no  mental  or  physical  training,  and  they 
can  see  no  advantage  in  educating  their  children.  We 
have  not  yet,  as  a  natiou,  emerged  out  of  darkness." 

To  the  Rev.  Dr.  A.  Macleod,  now  of  Birkenhead,  he 
writes,  in  acknowledging  the  gift  of  medicines  sent  from 
John  Street  Church,  and  details  the  benefits  derived  from 
them : — 

"  9th  August,  1861. — Forbear !  forgive  !  and  do  not  be 
displeased  that  I  have  been  so  long  in  acknowledging  the 
receipt  of  the  valuable  articles,  from  the  ladies  of  John 
Street.  Be  assured  that  the  delay  has  not  been  caused  by 
any  warn  of  the  sense  of  the  deep  obligation  which  I  owe 
to  you  and  these  dear  friends.  I  am  often  quite  distracted 
aud  worn  out  with  the  constant  knocking  about  durino- 
the  day,  that  it  becomes  a  burden  to  me  even  to  write  a 
note.     But  this  does  not  exonerate  me  from  blame. 

"  Did  the  children  send  me  the  medicine  ?  Oh,  the  good 
that  the  sulphur  has  done !  The  last  has  been  a  most 
extraordinary  year  for  cutaneous  diseases  among  the  Kafirs 
and  Fingoes.     I  have  already  had  150  applications,  which 


BEARING  PRECIOUS  SEED.  251 

have  been  relieved ;  and  am  besieged  by  fresh  applicants. 
But,  having  broken  in  upon  the  second  package,  I  must 
give  only  to  some.  My  principle  of  giving  is,  first  to  those 
who  attend  the  means  of  grace  on  the  Sabbath  !  I  refuse 
those,  who  only  wish  the  benefit  of  our  medicines,  and  will 
not  listen  to  the  Gospel.  It  is  sometimes  necessary  to 
make  a  distinction. 

"  My  young  friends  will  be  amused  when  I  tell  them 
that  some  Kafirs,  rascally  inclined,  attempt  to  overreach 
us  even  in  our  medicines.  Not  far  from  this  is  a  Church 
of  England  station.  Its  missionary  told  me  that  a  man 
came  to  him  one  day  to  beg  a  bottle  of  the  mixture  of 
sulphur.  The  man  said  it  was  for  his  children,  who  were 
very  ill  with  that  contagious  distemper.  He  gave  him  a 
bottle.  The  man  went  off".  Next  morning  the  missionary 
•rode  to  the  man's  kraal  to  see  if  he  was  applying  the 
medicine  properly,  and  how  the  children  were.  When 
he  reached  the  kraal  he  was  told  that  there  were  no 
children  under  the  disease.  The  man  had  told  a  lie. 
He  had  got  the  medicine  for  his  goats,  which  were  in  a 
miserable  condition  with  scab.  These  were  the  children 
the  man  spoke  of !  " 

"  I  am  sorry  to  hear,"  he  writes  to  Mr.  Bogue,  "  that  our 
deliheratQ  friend,  Mr.  L.,  was  '  blazoning  my  fame'  before 
my  friends  in  Scotland.  This  was  a  gratuitous  piece  of 
service  on  his  part,  as  also  his  eloquent  pleadings  for 
medicine  on  my  behalf.  I  wish  that  he  had  said  little  or 
nothing  about  me.  There  is  not  much  permanent  joy  in 
standing  well  with  men.  Human  applause  is  but  an  empty 
bubble,  and  a  dangerous  thing."  Yet  it  was  in  consequence 
of  this  very  advocacy,  sublime  for  its  deliberation,  though 
somewhat  tedious  for  its  length,  that  Tiyo  Soga  s  medicine 
chest,  which  was  at  a  very  low  ebb,  was  replenished  by 


252  TIYO   SOGA. 

the  John  Street  children.  In  consequence  also  of  this 
advocacy,  a  small  but  very  neat  parcel  reached  the  Mgwali, 
addressed  to  the  "  Rev.  Tiyo  Soga ;"  and  underneath  was 
an  inscription  to  the  following  effect :  "  Extract  from  a 
sermon  of  the  Rev.  J.  L.,  African  missionary,  preached  in 
John  Street  Church,  Glasgow — 'My  friends,  Mr.  Soga 
requires  medicine ;  yes, he  requires  medicine.'"  When  it 
was  opened  it  was  found  to  contain  a  dose  of  senna  leaves, 
the  donor  being  an  intimate  friend  of  Tiyo  Soga's,  who 
had  gone  to  John  Street  Church  to  hear  the  African 
missionary.  After  listening  to  a  lengthy  and  uninteresting 
narrative  of  mission  work  carried  on  by  Tiyo  Soga,  sud- 
denly the  preacher  began  to  detail  the  wants  of  his  black 
brother  missionary;  and  among  the  wants  enumerated  was 
the  above  sentence,  every  syllable  of  which  was  uttered 
with  a  precision  and  calmness  which  baffles  description.' 
The  joke  was  irresistible  to  this  humourist,  and  with 
all  speed  he  hastened  to  supply  the  nauseous  draught; 
whereupon  Tiyo  Soga  wrote  to  Mr.  Bogue:  "Tell  the 
Sheriff's  brother  that  his  packet  of  senna  leaves  came 
duly  to  hand.  I  shall  keep  it  as  it  is,  as  a  standing  joke 
against  my  brother,  Mr.  L.,  although  it  somewhat  touches 
me.     His  brother  missionaries,  especially  Mr.  Govan,  will 

almost  go  into  fits  when  I  tell  them  of  it,  as  Mr.  

is  such  a  precise  and  measured  man.     The  joke  is  really 
a  capital  one." 

To  Mr.  Bogue  he  again  writes,  August,  1861 :  "  With 
reference  to  my  adopted  daughter,  Victoria  Sandilli,  the 
Bible  Class  of  Mr.  Andrew  Fyfe,  in  Edinburgh,  contributes 
annually  £15  towards  her  support,  and  so  she  is  well 
provided  for.  She  is  a  most  excellent  young  creature, 
as  perfect  a  Kafir  lady  as  you  ever  saw.  She  is  worthy 
of  the  name  of  being  the  Princess  Royal  of  Kafirland. 


BEARING  PRECIOUS  SEED.  253 

I  must  be  very  careful  of  her,  as  she  is  in  a  delicate 
state  of  health.      She  has  a  mild  and  amiable  disposi- 
tion, and  is  most  prepossessing.     Her  intellect  is  cer- 
tainly not  quick ;  but  it  is  evidently  keeping  pace  with 
the  growth  of  her   slight   slender   body ;   and   there   is 
no  doubt,  if  she  gains  physical  strength,  her  mind  will 
become  firmer  and  readier."     It  will  interest  the  friends 
and  former  supporters  of  this  Kafir  "  princess''  to  know 
that,  whenever  she  reached  marriageable  age,  the  Gaika 
tribe  took  her  from  her  foster-father,  disrobed  her  of  her 
European  attire,  and,  to  her  inconsolable  grief,  dressed 
her  in   native  garb.     After  a  few  months'  residence  at 
her  father's  kraal,  well  nigh  heart-broken,  she  was  sent 
far  from  her  home  and  kindred,  along  with  a  very  large 
marriage  party,  to  be  wedded  to  the  son  of  a  Pondo  chief 
<^hom  she  had  never  seen.      After  many  long  months, 
during  which  alarming  rumours  were  afloat  concerning  the 
cannibalism  of  that  Pondo  tribe,  the  bridal  party  returned 
sleek  and  fat,  and  richly  laden  with  the  dowry  which  they 
had  received  for  Victoria.     As  time  passed  it  became  an 
ascertained  fact  that  Victoria  had  been  well  married  to  a 
young  chief,  who  had  come  under  Gospel  influence,  as 
preached  and  lived  by  that   noble-hearted   self-denying 
missionary,  the  widow  of  Mr.  Jenkins,  Wesleyan  minister 
in  Pondoland.     So  eager  was  this  young  chief  to  receive 
an  education,  equal  to  that  of  his  wife,  that  he  Idft  his 
home,  wife,  family,  and  tribe,  and  travelled  all  the  distance 
to  Lovedale  to  be  enrolled  as  a  pupil.     So  conscious  was 
he  of  his  ignorance  that  he  deemed  it  no  degradation  of 
his  royalty  to  join  the  very  lowest  class  in  that  Institution. 
He  is  a  young  man  of  considerable  promise,  and  there  is 
every  reason  to  believe  that  he  will  exert  an  influence  for 
good  upon  his  people. 


254  TIYO   SOGA. 

Again  Tiyo  Soga  writes  to  Mr.  Bogue :  "  I  lately  received 
a  most  valuable  addition  to  my  library,  in  the  shape  of  a 
grant  of  books  to  the  missionaries  of  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church,  from  the  London  Tract  Society.  I  was 
very  glad  to  be  able  to  say,  in  my  letter  of  acknowledg- 
ment, that  I  was  indirectly  associated  with  the  Society  in 
the  important  work  of  tract  distribution.  Not  long  ago, 
wishing,  for  one  thing,  to  ascertain  if  our  people  were  fond 
of  reading,  I  translated  and  printed  one  of  the  Society's 
tracts,  entitled,  '  Do  you  Observe  the  Lord's  Day  V  They 
eagerly  bought  the  tract  for  a  penny ;  and  the  popularity 
of  it,  both  among  my  own  people  and  others,  encouraged 
me  to  resolve  occasionally  to  translate  a  tract  for  them. 
Judge  of  my  surprise  when,  shortly  thereafter,  I  was 
summoned  to  the  same  kind  of  work  by  the  Tract  Society 
in  Grahamstown — a  branch  of  the  parent  Society.  ThejH 
print  the  translated  tracts,  and  send  copies  for  gratuitous 
distribution  at  those  stations  which  may  wish  to  have 
them.  Yesterday  I  sent  off  my  first  contribution  to  this 
good  work.  I  intend  to  suggest  to  the  Society  that, 
when  the  Kafir  tracts  amount  to  a  certain  number,  to 
bind  them  up  into  a  volume,  which  may  be  sold  to  our 
Station  people.  I  find  that  they  are  most  willing  to  buy 
books.  You  may  also  have  heard  that,  at  my  suggestion 
and  proposal,  the  Free  Church  brethren  have  united  with 
us  in*  getting  up  a  Kafir  hymn  book  for  our  common 
use.  Mr.  Bryce  Ross  and  I  were  the  persons  specially- 
engaged  in  the  work,  although  the  Committee  also  included 
Mr.  Go  van,  Mr.  Ross,  and  our  late  and  lamented  friend  and 
brother,  John  Read." 

"  The  economical  and  comfortable  erection,"  in  which 
Tiyo  Soga  lived,  belied  its  character  in  a  very  short  time; 
and,  accordingly,  we  find  him  writing  to  Dr.  Somerville  in 


BEARING  PRECIOUS  SEED.  255 

January,  1861 :  "  The  present  season  has  been  one  of  an 
unusual  fall  of  rain.  I  have  never  seen  anything  to  equal 
it.  The  dampness  of  the  ground  and  atmosphere  have 
superinduced  colds,  fevers,  and  severe  influenza,  over  the 
whole  country.  I  regret  to  say  that  my  people  have 
suffered  much.  For  nearly  three  months  I  have  scarcely 
been  free  from  cold,  and  soreness  and  tightness  of  the 
chest.  The  incessant  rains  have  also  brought  to  a  close 
the  natural  term  of  my  low  '  wattle  and  daub'  house.  The 
mud  walls  have  been  falling  down,  through  the  constant 
play  of  rain,  and  have  revealed  the  thorough  decay  of  the 
poles  that  bear  up  the  roof.  '  Wattle  and  daub'  houses, 
unless  protected  by  a  verandah,  do  not  last  here  beyond 
two  years.  Mine  has  stood  longer  ;  but  I  am  now  greatly 
uneasy  about  it.  It  is  also  damp.  Dr.  Fitzgerald,  of  the 
'Grey  Hospital,  King  William's  Town,  visited  us  two  years 
ago,  and  assured  me  that  in  less  than  two  years  such  low, 
damp,  and  confined  earthen-floored  houses  would  tell  upon 
our  health.  I  have  been  led  to  speak  of  my  house  sooner 
than  I  intended,  by  the  present  state  of  the  weather,  I 
find  also  that  it  is  as  unbearably  hot  in  summer  as  it  is 
cold  in  winter,  which  is  the  case  with  all  houses  of  this 
kind,  and  is  most  prejudicial  to  health." 

Whilst  Tiyo  Soga  was  living  in  this  wretched  dingy 
dwelling,  he  was  joined,  on  30th  November  1861,  by 
his  biographer.  It  was  harrowing  to  one's  feelings  to  see 
such  a  man  in  such  a  miserable  dwelling.  The  weather 
side  of  it  had,  as  its  only  protection,  a  waggon  sail  nailed 
from  corner  to  corner.  The  dwelling  had  been  patched, 
plastered,  and  kept  together  by  every  imaginable  device ; 
but  every  effort  to  make  it  habitable  was  like  sewing  a 
piece  of  new  cloth  on  an  old  garment.  The  health  of  the 
strongest  man  would  have  succumbed  from  living  under 


256  TIYO  SOGA. 

such  a  roof.  The  already  delicate  missionary  was  obliged 
to  confess  that,  "  for  nearly  three  months  he  had  scarcely 
been  free  from  cold,  and  soreness  and  tightness  of  the 
chest,"  Better  for  himself  and  for  the  mission  to  which 
he  belonged,  if  he  had  spoken  out  fearlessly  at  first  to  his 
supporters ;  but  his  scrupulous  reticence  on  that  and  other 
matters,  such  as  the  inadequate  stipend  of  £130  to  meet 
the  current  expenditure  of  his  household,  indicated  the 
character  of  the  man,  as  instinctively  recoiling  from 
speaking  of  his  own  grievances  until  compelled  by  sheer 
necessity. 


CHAPTER    XV. 

DARK  SHADOWS. 

"The  good  which  is  done  on  earth  has  often  to  be  done  in  spite  of  the 
indifference  or  opposition  of  those  for  whom  it  is  undertaken  ;  to  accomplish 
the  highest  and  greatest  good,  therefore,  men  must  devote  themselves." 

On  8th  February,  1862,  mournful  tidings  reached  the 
Mgwali,  of  the  sudden  and  unexpected  death  of  "  Albert 
the  Good."  Throughout  Her  Majesty's  dominions,  no 
heart  was.  more  deeply  touched  by  that  death,  than  that 
of  her  Kafir  subject,  Tiyo,  the  son  of  the  Gaika  councillor, 
Soga.  Many  years  previously,  when  a  stripling,  Tiyo 
had  walked  from  Glasgow  to  Dumbarton,  to  catch  a 
glimpse  of  the  Queen,  when  she  visited  the  west  of 
Scotland.  He  had  manifested  his  loyalty  to  the  English 
throne,  when  he  had  the  honour  of  paying  his  homage  to 
the  sailor  Prince.  When  the  sorrowful  news  reached  his 
station,  it  was  as  if  some  cruel  grief  had  extinguished  one 
of  the  licfhts  of  his  own  dwellincj.  With  breathless  haste 
he  rushed  up  to  the  unfinished  vestry  of  the  church  where 
his  brother  missionary  lodged;  and  after  announcing  the 
melancholy  tidings,  he  gave  vent  to  a  deep  and  genuine 
sorrow.  He  leaned  against  the  canvas-covered  window, 
and  expressed  the  truest  sympathy  for  our  widowed 
Queen.  The  manner  in  which  he  spoke  of  the  Prince's 
death  was  as  if  he  had  been  robbed  of  a  very  dear  friend. 
To  Mr.  Bogue  he  writes,  "Send  me  any  interesting  news- 
paper details  about  the  melancholy  death  of  the  Prince 

R 


258  TIYO  SOGA. 

Consort.    Next  Sabbath,  we  preach  specially  on  the  event  : 
Chalmers,  in  Kafir ;  and  I,  in  English." 

Tiyo's  text  was  Romans  xiii.  7,  last  clause :  "  Honour 
to  whom  honour."  A  glowing  description  of  the  sermon 
was  given  in  one  of  the  Colonial  papers,  shortly  after  his 
death.  After  explaining  the  context,  and  dwelling  upon 
the  utter  impossibility  of  perfect  equality  among  men, 
and  the  necessity  for  each  being  contented  with  his 
position  in  the  social  scale,  the  preacher  proceeded  to 
explain  the  requirements  of  the  text. 

I.  We  may  render  honour  to  whom  honour  is  due,  by 
yielding  to  them  that  respectful  deference  to  which  they 
are  entitled  from  their  social  superiority.  This  may  be 
evinced,  (1)  By  the  manner  in  which  we  comport  ourselves 
in  their  presence,  (2)  By  the  manner  in  which  we  com- 
monly speak  of  them. 

II.  We  may  render  honour  to  those,  whom  the  providence 
of  God  has  placed  over  us,  by  maintaining  a  loyal  and 
dutiful  respect  for  the  laws,  with  the  administration  of 
which  they  are  associated. 

III.  We  may  render  honour  to  our  superiors,  when  we 
are  rightl}-  affected  and  touched  by  the  calamities  which 
befall  them. 

After  illustrating  these  points  he  concluded  thus : — 
"  These  remarks  have  been  called  forth,  by  an  event, 
which  has  involved  a  great  nation  and  its  beloved  Sovereign 
in  the  profoundest  sorrow.  Much  on  this  matter  I  cannot 
and  will  not  say.  There  are  those  who  might  perhaps 
equal  the  melancholy  theme. 

"  In  the  inscrutable  mysteries  of  an  all  wise  and  almighty 
providence,  the  royal  husband  of  our  gracious  Queen  has 
been  struck  down  in  the  morning  of  his  days.  '  How  are 
the  mighty  fallen  !'     If  any  s|)ectacle  is  calculated  to  call 


DARK  SHADOWS.  259 

forth  the  finest  sensibilities  of  our  being,  as  dutiful  subjects, 
it  is  that  of  contemplating  Her  Majesty  our  Sovereign,  in 
her  present  sorrowful  position,  as  a  desolate  bereaved 
widow.  Though  perhaps  we  commonly  think  of  her  as, 
by  her  exalted  position,  far  removed  from  us,  and  that 
a  nobler  blood  flows  in  her  veins ;  yet  how  can  we  forget 
that  she  is  bone  of  our  bone  and  flesh  of  our  flesh  !  How 
can  we  forget  that  she  too  can  weep,  just  as  we  weep  when 
the  day  of  sad  calamity  has  overtaken  us  ?  How  can  we 
forget  that  her  noble  heart  breaks,  as  ours  break,  under 
the  pressure  of  accumulated  misfortune  ?  It  is  painful  in 
the  extreme  to  think,  that  the  noble  Lady,  of  whom  her 
subjects  are  so  justly  proud — the  virtuous,  devoted,  and 
pious  wife — the  affectionate  mother,  and  the  model 
Sovereign,  has  so  early  been  made  a  widow.  Surely, 
whilst  we  can  weep  over  the  recital  of  the  sorrows  of 
many  a  man  and  woman  whom  we  have  never  known,  we 
cannot  now  deny  the  tear  of  sympathy,  the  prayer  for  con- 
solation, on  behalf  of  one,  whom  though  we  have  probably 
not  seen,  yet  we  all  know  so  well  and  love  so  much. 

"  And  he,  whose  loss  a  nation  sorely  mourns,  was  well 
worthy  to  have  been  the  Royal  Consort  of  the  noblest 
and  most  justly  beloved  Queen  that  ever  wore  a  royal 
diadem,  or  sat  upon  the  English  throne.  All  that  we  have 
ever  heard  of  him  redounds  to  his  highest  praise.  The 
English  people  are  not  easily  pleased.  They  know  their 
rights  and  hold  them  with  an  unyielding  hand.  Prince 
Albert  knew  the  temper  of  the  nation,  which  hailed  him 
as  the  honoured  Consort  of  their  Queen ;  and  it  was  his 
aim,  throughout  life,  to  avoid  those  political  shoals 
which  might  have  wrecked  his  reputation.  He  has  died, 
without  a  blot  upon  his  character — the  idol  of  a  great 
nation — whose  sincere  sorrow  for  his  untimely  death,  it 


260  TIYO   SOGA. 

is  truly  touching  to  behold.  Peace  be  to  his  ashes  !  God's 
own  consolation  to  his  bereaved  family,  and  our  sorrowing 
Sovereign.  May  God  prove  to  them  a  present  help ;  and 
may  they,  in  '  the  Man  of  Sorrows,  find  that  they  have 
an  Hi^h  Priest  who  can  be  touched  with  the  feeling  of 
their  infirmities.* " 

Some  men  may  imagine  that  mission  life  among  the 
Kafirs  is  all  sunshine  and  ease,  as  the  missionary  has  a 
sort  of  magisterial  authority  to  direct  the  people  under 
his  charge:  the  reality  is  far  otherwise.  This  false 
conception  of  mission  work  may  be  traced  to  the  fact, 
that  the  outside  world  sees  only  the  bright  side  of  the 
picture,  and  hears  only  the  most  favourable  reports  of  the 
work.  If  Christians  at  home  knew  what  it  is  to  labour  in 
"  the  high  places  of  the  earth,"  among  a  barbarous  people, 
they  would  acknowledge  that  it  requires  a  marvellous 
amount  of  patience,  and  faithfulness  to  duty,  to  grapple 
with  the  varied  and  numerous  discouragements.  Kafirs 
have  been  described  as  "  South  African  Scotchmen." 
They  have  been  said  to  be  to  the  missionary  what  the 
British  soldier  is  to  his  officer, — ready  at  any  moment  to 
answer  to  his  call.  Whatever  they  may  have  been  in  the 
past,  the  present  generation  is  not  so  tractable.  If  the 
missionary  is  faithful,  or  desirous  of  preserving  the  good 
order  and  purity  of  his  station,  he  must  sufier  much,  and 
endure  much  in  the  discharge  of  his  duty.  There  is  no 
loraance  in  mission  work  among  the  Kafirs.  There  can 
be  no  romance  in  the  conflict  between  Christianity  and 
barbarism  for  the  mastery.  The  missionary  must  often 
fall  back  upon  some  reserved  fund  of  faith,  acquired 
in  calmer  and  more  peaceful  times,  when  he  is  sternly 
reproving  immorality,  selfishness,  and  drunkenness.  Tiyo 
Soga  very  soon  experienced  that  the  missionary  life  is 


DARK  SHADOWS.  261 

one  of  peculiar  trials  and  difficulties ;  and  he  was  so 
exquisitely  sensitive,  that  he  was  easily  cast  down  and 
almost  disheartened.  No  sooner  did  he  congratulate 
himself  upon  the  completion  of  the  church  building, 
than  he  encountered  some  very  painful  experiences.  No 
sooner  were  peace  and  harmony  restored  to  his  station, 
which  had  been  broken  by  shameless  vice,  than  his 
countrymen  vied  with  each  other  to  vex  and  harass 
him,  and  far  beyond  what  they  would  have  ventured 
upon  with  a  European,  or  with  one  whose  antecedents 
they  had  not  known. 

Shortly  after  his  arrival  in  the  mission  field  he  had 
written:  "I  am  glad  to  tell  you  that  I  have  not  yet 
realized  the  truth  of  the  proverb,  '  A  prophet  is  not 
without  honour,  save  in  his  own  country,'"  &c.  Ere 
many  years  had  passed,  he  had  to  mourn  deeply  over 
the  opposition  he  met,  in  his  endeavours  to  elevate  his 
countrymen,  and  to  leave  them  better  than  he  found 
them.  He  wi^ites  to  Mr.  Johnston,  in  1862 :  "  As  a  people, 
we  are  not  what  we  once  were.  I  have  much  to  depress 
me.  I  sometimes  feel  as  if  I  should  leave  these  people 
altogether."  To  his  fellow-labourer,  associated  with  him, 
he  writes :  "  I  really  do  not  know  what  to  think  of  our 
young  people.  They  seem  to  vie  with  one  another  in 
committing  sin.  I  have  had  disappointment  after  dis- 
appointment. This  year  1862,  if  I  live  longer  on  earth, 
I  shall  ever  have  cause  to  remember  in  connection  with 
the  ordeals  to  which  my  feelings  have  been  subjected; 
and  this  is  the  bitterest  of  them  all.  We  all  lately,  more 
or  less,  have  had  uncommon  trials.  It  is,  I  think,  high 
time  that  we  had  rest." 

One  of  the  trials  was  the  great  mortality  at  the  Mgwali, 
which  made  the  heathen  suppose  that  it  was  an  unliealthy 


262  TIYO  SOGA. 

station,  and  that  therefore  they  should  neither  locate 
themselves  near  to  it,  nor  attend  the  house  of  God,  lest 
they  should  fall  victims  to  disease.  He  refers  to  this  matter 
in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Somerville,  dated  11th  March,  1862:— 
"  To  our  people,  the  year  1861  is,  like  its  predecessor,  one 
of  painful  reminiscences.  My  registry  of  deaths  shows 
that  no  fewer  than  eight  adults  have  died  during  the 
year.  In  our  small  community  the  breach  is  too  great 
not  to  be  severely  felt.  The  frequent  deaths  during  the 
past  two  years  created  not  a  little  sensation  among  the 
people,  whilst  they  gave  to  the  heathen  an  unfavourable 
impression  as  to  the  healthiness  of  the  place.  Seven  of 
the  persons  who  died  were  professed  members  of  the 
church.  Nearly  all  of  them  died  in  the  expressed  hope 
of  a  glorious  immortality.  But  the  interest  of  these  happy 
deaths  centres  in  the  death  of  the  Christian  veteran, 
Edward  Irving.  He  was  nearly  fourscore  years  old,  and 
was  emphatically  a  Christian  of  the  Simeon  type.  He 
often  said  that  if  the  way  to  the  heavenly  country  could 
be  travelled  on  foot,  he  would  long  ago  have  started  for 
it,  and  reached  the  end  of  the  journey.  It  was  also  one  of 
his  favourite  remarks,  that  '  affliction  had  all  the  cleansing 
properties  for  the  soul,  that  soap  has  for  the  body.'  The 
eighth  person,  a  woman,  found  the  Saviour  '  able  to  save 
unto  the  uttermost  all  that  come  unto  God  by  Him.' " 

A  deep-rooted  superstition  whispered  that  these  losses 
were  occasioned  by  the  presence  of  sorcerers  at  the  station. 
But  there  were  sad  shipwrecks  of  faith  which  followed 
each  other  in  rapid  succession.  He  says :  "  I  grieve  to 
record  that  we  have  had  two  cases  of  serious  backsliding. 
Both  are  under  the  extreme  penalty  of  church  discipline ; 
a  third  has  been  temporarily  suspended." 

At  this  time  one  of  those  trials,  which  cannot  otherwise 


DARK   SHADOWS.  263 

be  characterised  than  periodical  waves  of  vice,  visited 
the  Mgwali.  There  is  a  depth  of  moral  degradation 
in  the  Kafir  character  which  it  is  difficult  to  eradicate. 
The  Kafir  hut  is  a  hotbed  of  iniquity ;  and  as  long  as 
that  kind  of  dwellings  exists,  such  evils  will  continue 
to  check  the  progress  of  the  Gospel.  Moreover,  Chris- 
tian parents  seem  indifferent  to  preserve  the  purity  of 
their  home  life,  ever  since  the  giving  and  receiving  of 
dowries  have  been  frowned  upon  by  the  missionaries.  The 
checking  of  such  national  customs  as  that  of  the  "  dowry" 
has  perhaps  been  forced  on  prematurely,  and  before 
Christian  natives  were  led  to  abandon  life  in  the  hut. 
The  English  law  is  powerless  to  meet  such  cases  of  vice, 
and  from  a  Kafir  standpoint  it  is  an  incentive  to  immor- 
ctlity.  When  the  long-concealed  vicious  practices  came 
to  light  at  the  Mgwali,  showing  that  church  members  and 
schoolmasters  had  been  their  staunchest  supporters,  Tiyo 
Soga  was  so  much  horrified  that  his  very  life  was  embit- 
tered. His  pure  mind  revolted  from  the  practices ;  and 
from  the  pulpit  he  spoke  with  a  fervour,  and  in  warning 
tones,  which  showed  that  if  his  voice  could  reach  to  the 
root  of  these  vices,  he  would  not  spare  himself  or  his 
hearers.  After  his  tenderest  feelings  had  been  lacerated,  by 
suspending  one  and  another  of  the  most  promising  church 
members  during  the  week,  for  the  grossest  immorality,  he 
appeared  in  his  pulpit  on  the  Sunday,  and  with  a  pathos 
perhaps  unequalled,  save  by  him  who  first  uttered  them, 
he  preached  from  the  words,  "  I  have  great  heaviness  and 
continual  sorrow  in  my  heart,  for  I  could  wish  that  myself 
were  accursed  from  Christ  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen 
according  to  the  flesh." 

Scarcely  had  this  trial  subsided  when  another  followed, 
which  Tiyo  has  fully  described  in  a  letter  to  the  Rev.  Dr. 


264  TIYO   SOGA. 

Somerville,  on  4th  Marcb,  1863: — "Another  matter  of 
painful  recollection,  during  the  past  year,  has  been  the 
conduct  of  some  of  our  most  hopeful  youths,  sons  of 
members  of  the  church,  who  practised  upon  themselves 
the  heathen  rite  of  circumcision.  They  afterwards  occupied 
a  hut  on  the  station,  where  they  lived  together,  and  kept 
each  other  in  countenance.  There  were  six  at  first,  and 
other  four  joined  them.  They  went  about  in  their  blankets, 
and  painted  their  bodies  with  white  clay,  which  made 
them  most  repulsive-looking  creatures.  The  white- washing 
was  simply  a  superfluous  piece  of  heathenism,  and  showed 
that  they  wished  to  approach  as  nearly  as  possible  to  the 
observance  of  all  the  ceremonies  of  heathen  circumcision. 
With  the  Kafirs  circumcision  confers  manhood,  and  all  its 
liberties  and  licenses.  It  is  a  civil  and  not  a  religious  rite. 
These  youths  were  not  taunted  for  being  boys ;  they  were 
recognised  as  men ;  they  had  no  provocation,  no  temptation, 
save  the  spontaneous  bent  of  their  own  hearts  towards 
heathenism.  If  they  had  wished  to  be  men,  they  required 
only  to  perform  the  rite,  without  adopting  the  other 
desradino:  customs. 

"  How  to  deal  with  these  young  men  was  a  most  per- 
plexing matter.  My  difficulties  would  have  been  lessened 
or  removed,  had  they  submitted  to  the  conditions  upon 
which  they  could  be  tolerated  within  the  confines  of  the 
station.  To  weaken  the  charm  of  this  state  to  the  young 
men,  as  well  as  to  prevent  the  possibility  of  their  being 
tempted  to  commit  other  sins  to  which,  among  the  heathen, 
circumcision  opens  a  wide  door,  we  resolved  first,  that 
they  should  be  removed  from  the  hut  in  which  they  slept 
and  ate ;  that  they  should  be  separated,  and  sent  to  retired 
spots,  until  they  were  able  to  mingle  with  the  people.  We 
then  desired  them  not  to  appear  in  public  during  the  day, 


DARK   SHADOWS.  265 

and  to  abandon  the  white  clay.  These  terms  were  inti- 
mated to  the  lads,  after  speaking  seriously  to  them  on  the 
disgrace  which  they  had  brought  upon  the  cause  of*  Christ. 
They  assumed  an  attitude  of  defiance,  and  contemptuously 
refused  to  be  bound  by  such  conditions.  After  waiting  for 
a  day  or  two,  I  next  asked  the  parents  to  endeavour  to 
bring  their  children  to  a  sense  of  their  duty.  The  parents 
declared  the  lads  intractable.  I  temporized  for  two  or 
three  days  longer,  until  the  confusion  and  the  excitement 
on  the  station  became  indescribable.  Right-minded  people 
imagined  that  these  lads  were  actuated  by  a  spirit  of 
opposition  to  all  law  and  order.  Other  boys  joined  the 
original  offenders,  as  enticed  by  messages  brought  by  the 
children  who  took  food  to  them. 

'•'  I  resolved  next  upon  expelling  the  lads,  not  only  from 
the  station,  but  also  from  the  station -lands.  It  simply 
became  a  mockery  of  my  authority,  and  a  mockery  of  the 
order  of  our  station,  to  attempt  milder  measures.  One 
great  trial  of  missionaries  is  the  difficulty  of  winning 
determined,  blind,  stubborn  ignorance  to  reflection,  reason, 
and  conscience.  Had  I  been  able  to  accomplish  it,  I 
certainly  should  have  dismissed  the  lads  from  the  sta- 
tion. They  had  embraced  heathenism  without  excuse, 
and  it  was  better  that  they  should  go  and  practise  its 
obscene  rites  without  such  a  shock  to  our  feelings,  and 
insult  to  the  station.  When  I  proceeded  to  their 
expulsion,  the  parents  took  their  part,  and  considered 
themselves  injured  by  such  a  treatment,  for,  as  they 
said,  they  could  not  drive  their  children  to  heathen- 
ism. The  parents  were  headed  by  two  elders,  whose 
two  sons  were  the  prime  movers  —  the  leading  spirits 
in  the  affair.  The  lads  continued  on  the  station ;  great 
confusion  prevailed,  and  the  station  became  divided  into 


TIYO   SOGA. 

two  parties,  who  refused  even  to  exchange  words  with 
each  other.  The  greater  part  approved  of  my  action  ;  the 
lesser  were  against  me.  Never  having  had  to  deal  with 
such  a  difficult  case,  I  knew  not  what  course  of  action  to 
adopt.  My  own  views,  as  well  as  those  of  our  church, 
were  against  appealing  to  civil  authority  to  settle  differ- 
ences between  a  minister  and  his  people.  Yet  I  could  not 
stand  on  this  point  in  dealing  with  ignorant  lads,  who 
cared  nothing  for  God's  law.  1  felt  that  I  must  maintain 
order  on  the  station,  or  leave  it. 

"  Wlien  the  lads  perceived  that  their  parents  were  so 
far  approving  of  their  conduct,  by  acting  in  opposition  to 
me,  they  seemed  bent  upon  insulting  the  people  of  the 
station.  They  walked  about,  and  even  before  the  door 
of  my  own  house,  with  their  bodies  white-washed  and 
robed  in  their  blankets,  and  talked  with  any  one  who 
was  disposed  to  be  friendly  with  them.  Even  in  Kafir 
circumcision  '  ivhite  hoys'  are  not  allowed  to  see,  or  to  be 
seen,  by  people.  They  must  be  private ;  and  have  their 
intercourse  exclusively  with  men. 

"  In  this  state  of  things  we  addressed  a  letter  to  Mr. 
Brownlee,  our  magistrate,  in  which  we  stated  that  whilst 
the  principles  of  our  Church  were  opposed  to  all  Govern- 
ment interference  betwixt  ministers  and  their  people,  yet 
as  the  conduct  of  these  lads  was  a  public  nuisance,  a 
violation  of  all  order,  and  a  disturbance  of  the  peace  of 
tliis  station,  we  felt  compelled  to  call  in  his  assistance  to 
put  an  end  to  this  lawlessness.  Mr.  B.  complied  with  this 
request,  and  put  in  operation  a  regulation  of  the  British 
Kaffrarian  Government,  by  which  '  white  boys'  are  for- 
bidden to  come  into  towns  or  villages,  or  where  they  are 
not  wanted,  under  penalty  of  imprisonment.  He  therefore 
arrested  the  boys,  and  put  them  into  confinement  for  a 


DARK  SHADOWS.  2G7 

fortnight,  after  which  he  had  to  liberate  them  by  instruc- 
tions from  a  higher  authority.  On  their  return  they  did 
not  come  to  the  station,  but  occupied  a  hut  in  a  mealie 
garden  two  miles  from  it,  where  they  followed  all  their 
evil  courses  just  as  before,  without  check  or  hindrance, 
and  did  incalculable  injury  to  the  Lord's  work. 

"  After  I  had  endured  much  from  these  evils,  I  called  a 
meeting  of  session,  with  the  view  of  considering  the 
conduct  of  the  two  elders,  and  likewise  of  the  mothers 
of  the  boys.  I  desired  Mr.  Cummin^-  (who  was  on  a 
visit  to  the  station)  and  Mr.  Chalmers  to  attend,  that 
I  might  lay  the  whole  case  before  them,  and  assist  me 
in  coming  to  a  proper  judgment  on  the  matter.  The 
elders  were  then  called  upon  to  explain  their  conduct. 
They  denied  that  they  had  been  willingly  accessory  to 
the  contumacious  conduct  of  their  sons.  They  stated  that 
they  had  conformed  to  a  law,  agreed  upon  by  a  meeting 
of  native  Christians,  that  when  a  boy  belonging  to  a 
member  of  the  church  circumcised,  he  should  not  be 
driven  away,  but  that  his  father  should  look  after  him, 
and  keep  him  somewhere  near  him,  until  he  was  able 
to  return  home.  They  maintained  that  this  law  had  not 
been  repealed,  and  that  they  were  acting  upon  it  in  not 
allowing  their  children  to  be  sent  away. 

"When  it  was  explained  that  such  a  law  could  not 
bind  a  missionary  to  tamper  with  evil  which  was  bringing 
ruin  to  his  station,  and  that  the  mild  and  reasonable 
terms  which  the  missionary  first  proposed  to  the  boys, 
and  which  they  rejected,  were  exactly  similar  to  the  terms 
of  this  law ;  and  further,  that  these  lads  had  been  publicly 
recognised  by  the  whole  station  as  men,  and  that  on 
that  occasion,  of  their  own  free  will,  they  declared  that 
as  Christian  young  men  they  would  not  conform  to  the 


2G8  TIYO   SOGA. 

heathen  rite  of  circumcision; — when  these  points  were 
placed  before  the  elders,  and  they  were  told  that  they  had 
not  sustained  the  missionary  in  his  efforts  to  put  down  the 
wilful  wickedness  of  the  boys,  they  acknowledged  that 
they  had  done  wrong.  When  they  made  this  acknowledg- 
ment we  could  go  no  further ;  they  were  therefore  admon- 
ished to  beware  for  the  future,  and,  as  office-bearers  in  His 
Church,  seek  the  honour  of  Christ  even  more  than  that 
of  their  children.  As  for  the  mothers  of  the  boys,  it  was 
agreed  by  the  session  that, after  being  warned  and  reproved, 
their  case  at  present  should  be  made  a  matter  of  forbear- 
ance. The  following  reasons  seemed  to  us  satisfactory: — 
"  I.  It  did  not  appear  that  we  could  be  justified  in 
adopting  a  severer  measure  of  church  discipline  when 
they  themselves  had  not  directly  sinned,  and  when  they 
had  not  prompted  their  sons  to  sin. 

"  II.  The  two  elders  are  men  of  long  Christian  standing, 
consistency,  and  usefulness  in  the  church.  My  own  mind 
could  not  have  been  at  ease  in  cutting  ofi",  for  an  error  of 
judgment,  men  who  had  served  Christ  for  well  nigh  30 
years. 

"  III.  It  was  not  with  them,  but  with  the  boys,  that  I 
was  unhappily  at  issue ;  and  when  they  were  punished,  it 
was  likely  to  do  more  evil  than  good,  to  be  too  severe 
upon  the  parents. 

"  IV.  Much  allowance  must  certainly  be  made  for  their 
not  seeing  so  distinctly  the  evil  of  those  heathen  customs, 
in  the  midst  of  which  they  had  been  brought  up. 

"  V.  So  far  as  circumcision  itself  is  concerned,  the  two 
elders  and  the  mothers  of  the  lads  also,  are  as  convinced 
as  the  missionary  himself  of  its  uselessness. 

"  Lastly.  We  missionaries  are  not  agreed  among  our- 
selves, as  to  the  mode  of  dealing  with  lads  who  circumcise 


DARK   SHADOWS.  269 

themselves.  To  this  Kafir  evil  all  are  exposed :  some  of  us 
endeavour  to  get  rid  of  it  by  expulsion,  and  others  do  not; 
and  some  even  have  gone  the  length  of  inflicting  corporal 
punishment.  I  know  of  one  who,  after  the  circumcised 
boys  returned  to  the  station  and  attended  school,  took 
them  to  a  class  of  little  boys,  and  called  them  '  boys'  by 
way  of  disgracing  them. 

"  I  hope  now  to  be  able  to  look  forward  to  the  next 
year  as  comparatively  free  from  the  cares,  anxieties,  and 
sorrows  of  the  last.  The  cares  of  my  church  have  been 
very  great  during  the  past  year.  Whilst  I  have  a  member- 
ship of  120,  I  have  to  report  much  falling  away.  The 
session  have  had  to  cut  off  six  communicants — five  of  them 
for  a  breach  of  the  seventh  commandment." 

The  conduct  of  these  lads  as  well  as  the  attitude  of 
the  parents  in  conniving  at  their  evil  courses,  preyed 
heavily  upon  Tiyo  Soga.  The  discomforts  of  his  house 
considerably  undermined  his  health,  and  towards  the 
end  of  the  year  1862,  he  was  thoroughly  prostrated. 
Writing  to  Dr.  Somerville  from  King  William's  Town, 
on  7th  December  of  that  year,  he  says :  "  I  have  now 
been  in  this  place  for  a  fortnight,  confined  to  bed, 
and  under  medical  treatment.  I  am  in  the  house  of  my 
friend,  the  Rev.  John  Brownlee.  Three  Sabbaths  ago  I 
came  down  from  the  Mgwali  to  preach  in  Kafir,  at  the 
anniversary  services  commemorative  of  the  opening  of  his 
church.  A  month  before  I  came  here,  I  had  warnings  of 
an  approaching  inflammation  of  the  windpipe — the  voice 
after  preaching  becoming  thick  and  husky.  There  was 
also  an  accompanying  cough.  But  the  disease  came  to  a 
crisis  after  preaching  at  the  services  above  alluded  to. 
Upon  consulting  Dr.  Egan  about  proceeding  home,  he 
said  I  was  not  fit  to  do  so.     It  soon  appeared  that  he  was 


270  TIYO   SOGA. 

right,  for  the  inflammation  in  the  windpipe  became  severe, 
and  with  alternate  fits  of  shivering  and  of  fever.  There 
was  also  a  pain  in  the  left  side  which  irritated  the  cough." 
Other  internal  symptoms  manifested  themselves,  and  he 
adds :  "  These  nearly  cut  me  off,  and  have  so  reduced  my 
strength  that  it  is  a  very  short  distance  I  can  walk,  with 
the  help  of  a  stick.  For  six  or  eight  weeks  I  must  not  use 
my  voice  in  public,  or  even  converse  aloud ;  the  state  of 
my  throat  and  body  being  such,  that  the  least  thing  would 
bring  on  decline.  I  am  not  anxious  about  myself;  I  desire 
to  leave  myself  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Lord.  And  my 
prayer,  yea,  my  earnest  prayer — oh  may  He  in  mercy  hear 
it ! — is,  that  this  aflliction  may  be  sanctified  for  the  good  of 
my  soul.  The  kindness  of  friends  in  this  town  has  been 
wonderful ;  they  have  not  ceased  to  call  and  enquire  for 
me.  My  wife  has  not  been  able  to  be  with  me,  as  the 
children  have  the  hooping-cough  at  the  Mgwali.  But  I 
have  been  attended,  with  motherly  and  sisterly  care,  by 
Mrs.  Brownlee,  and  her  daughters." 

One  other  trial,  and  probably  the  one  which  affected 
him  most  keenly,  was  the  case  of  his  second  son,  John 
Henderson.  It  was  supposed  that  in  his  infancy  he  had 
received  an  injury;  and  as  the  child  grew  it  became 
painfully  apparent,  that  he  would  lose  the  proper  use  of 
one  of  his  limbs.  Tiyo  Soga's  anxiety  was  very  great,  and 
he  spared  no  trouble  to  obtain  the  best  medical  skill  for 
his  invalid  son.  Thus,  one  wave  after  another  broke  over 
him ;  but  though  ofttimes  brought  very  low,  he  was  not 
wholly  discouraged.  His  letters  to  friends  are  proofs 
of  his  calm  resignation  under  all  these  trials.  He  felt 
that  there  was  a  wise  purpose  in  his  afflictions.  Many 
friends  wr6te  to  him  letters  full  of  sympathy,  to  one  of 
which  he  replies  as  follows  : — "  I  have  to  thank  you  for 


DARK   SHADOWS.  271 

your  brotherly  counsel  and  sympathy.  I  was  wrong  in 
having  sent  home  mournful  epistles.  They  do  no  good, 
either  to  the  writer,  or  to  those  who  receive  them. 
They  were  the  result  of  mental  gloom,  arising  from  a 
disordered  state  of  the  body.  But  I  think  I  have  now 
learned  that  it  is  better  to  keep  one's  own  trials,  and 
crosses  to  himself.  But  my  dear  brother,  your  epistles,  so 
full  of  homely  humour  and  genial  repartee  produce  a 
healthy  stimulating  effect  upon  my  spirits.  Send  me 
therefore,  as  often  as  you  please,  one  of  your  genuine 
antibilious  pills ! " 

During  these  months  of  painful  suspense,  when  he  was 
crossed  and  harassed  by  some  of  the  bitterest  trials,  and 
by  some  of  the  darkest  dispensations  of  providence,  we 
find  in  his  private  journal  some  most  pathetic  cries  of 
an  earnest  soul  yearning  after  a  closer  union  with  God  in 
Christ.  These  depressing  experiences  drove  him  to  seek 
comfort  from  his  Saviour.  These  short  records  reveal  the 
humility  of  his  spiritual  nature.  Never  intended  to  be 
seen  or  read  by  another,  they  are  chiefly  jotted  doAvn 
in  Greek  characters,  or  the  Kafir  language.  His  trials 
drove  him  to  the  throne  of  grace,  and  to  the  searching  of 
his  own  heart.  He  had  known,  in  early  childhood,  that  in 
earnest  cries  at  the  footstool  of  God's  throne,  true  help 
could  be  found.  An  old  Fingoe,  named  Manqindi,  the 
first  fruit  of  the  Kafir  mission,  told  the  following  incident 
at  the  opening  of  the  Mgwali  Church :  "  His  mother  once 
told  me,"  said  this  veteran  Christian,  "  while  your  teacher 
was  a  little  boy,  '  I  do  not  know  what  I  am  "to  do  with 
this  child ;  when  we  kneel  down  to  pray,  he  takes  the 
prayer  from  my  mouth,  and  offers  it  up  himself.'  I  said 
to  her,  *  Let  him  pray  ;  that  is  your  instructor.' "  From 
these  private  jottings  in  his  journal,  when  he  was  well- 


TIYO   SOGA. 


nigh  overwhelmed  witli  grief  and  discouragement,  we  find 
him,  in  maturer  years,  still  crying  for  more  light  and  fuller 
guidance,  and  closer  intimacy  with  that  God,  who  had 
befriended  him  in  the  past,  and  had  never  forsaken  him. 

It  is  not  ruthlessly  di-agging  them  out  into  the  light  of 
day,  to  place  some  of  them  before  the  reader,  as  they 
describe  more  powerfully  than  another  could,  some  of  the 
most  beautiful  traits  of  his  character,  as  he  knelt  with 
childlike  simplicity,  before  the  Father  of  all,  to  tell  what 
most  he  felt  and  suffered  : — 

5tli  January. — "  I  have  to  complain  of  one  grand  defect 
in  my  character — irresolution.  I  cannot  tell  how  many 
times  I  have  resolved  and  re-resolved  to  be  under  God  a 
better  man  than  I  know  myself  to  be.  All  my  resolutions 
in  this  respect  have  miserably  come  to  naught.  I  have  in 
reference  to  my  state  before  God,  to  complain  of  the 
following  things : — Although  I  know  myself  to  be  a  great 
deceiver,  although  I  know  the  consequences  of  this  awful 
sin,  although  I  know  that  I  have  a  most  responsible 
burden,  in  having  taken  unadvisedly  upon  myself  the 
work  of  the  ministry,  although  I  know  that  all  that  I 
have  hitherto  been  doing  in  that  ministry  has  been  in 
hypocrisy,  and  insincerity,  I  have  to  lament  my  deadness 
and  hardness  of  heart  in  reference  to  these  sins.  When  I 
attempt  to  peruse  the  word  of  God,  it  has  no  effect  upon 
my  mind.  I  remain  unmoved.  I  have  no  sufficient 
sensibility  to  and  perception  of  my  sins.  This  I  feel  as  if 
it  were  a  barrier  to  my  obtaining  any  true  penitence 
regarding  "them.  O  God,  by  Thy  spirit  move  me,  and 
Thou  shalt  have  the  entire  glory.  Thou  knowest  the 
heart.  Thou  knowest  that  I  desire  truly  to  obtain  Thy 
forgiveness  for  all  these  sins.  I  desire  to  obtain  true 
humility  and  Ijrokenness  of  spirit,  to  obtain  that  happiness 


DARK   SHADOWS.  273 

which  I  never  had,  and  which  it  is  impossible  for  me  to 
have  until  God  for  Jesus'  sake  pardon  me.  Lord  I  leave 
myself  in  Thy  hands.  Holy  Spirit!  instruct  and  enlighten 
me;  and  Thou,  Christ  Jesus,  fulfil  to  me  Thy  promise, '  Him 
that  cometh  unto  me  I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out.' 

"  Lord's  day,  15th  January. — It  is  of  no  use,  my  weak- 
ness becomes  more  and  more  apparent.  Since  writing  the 
above  I  have  made  no  effort  to  be  better,  I  am  going  back. 
There  is  the  most  unaccountable  hardness  and  unbelief  in 
my  heart.  Help  me,  Lord  Gocl,  of  Thine  own  mercy.  My 
besetting  sins  are  hypocrisy,  unbelief,  an  evil  temper. 
All  these  issue  from  the  fountain  of  a  heart  which  has  not 
been  born  again. 

"  SOth  January. — Read  that  delightful  book,  on  '  The 
Object  of  Life,'  by  Todd.  I  remember  my  own  sin  and 
guilt  in  this  matter.  The  great  object,  the  real  object  of 
life,  he  says,  is  to  live  for  God.  It  is  ^s  if  God  would 
enable  me  to  fulfil  this  object  to  overcome  my  sins.  I  feel 
as  if  I  have  been  solemnized.     Cast  me  not  off,  O  Lord ! 

"  Lord's  day. — The  only  thing  I  have  felt,  since  the  last 
note,  is  some  internal  movement  about  the  state  of  my 
soul  before  God.  This  fact  speaks  for  itself.  I  have  been 
asleep,  dead.  I  recall  some  days  spent  in  secret  prayer. 
Looking  back  upon  them,  and  comparing  them  with  the 
state  of  things  to-day,  I  find  that  they  were  precious  days, 
not  because  I  obtained  any  special  benefit  in  them,  but 
their  general  influence  and  tendency  were  good.  These 
joys  I  have  forfeited,  because  of  my  sins,  neglect,  indiffer- 
ence and  indolence.  Had  some  delightful  secret  musings 
to-day.  Am  reading  Dr.  Heugh's  instructive  memoirs. 
Lord,  look  upon  my  soul !  Preached  fluently,  and  with 
apparent  interest  from  Matthew  i.  21.  In  recording  this, 
I  behold  my  shame  and  folly.     Thou,  Lord,  knowest. 


274  TIYO   SOGA. 

'*  Lord's  day  evening,  7th  March. — 0  most  merciful  God 
and  Father,  I  lay  before  Thee  all  my  character.  Have 
mercy  upon  me,  a  sinner.  Bless  Thy  word  to  me,  and 
may  it  overcome  all  evil  that  is  mthin  me.  Lord  Jesus, 
deliver  me.  Holy  Spirit,  teach  me.  Visited  a  poor  girl 
dying  of  consumption.  Her  ignorance  of  God  and  all 
that  is  good,  as  well  as  her  denial  of  her  sinfulness  were 
aT\^ful,  and  ought  to  teach  me  most  impressive  lessons. 

"  29th  April. — I  have  reason  to  fear  that  I  have  been 
living  the  life  of  a  mere  formalist ;  and  oh,  in  one  who 
has  taken  upon  himself  the  work  of  the  ministry,  and  of 
a  missionary  of  the  Gospel,  this  is  awful !  Yet  as  all  good 
feelings,  thoughts,  words,  and  works  are  from  Him  who  is 
the  Giver  of  all  good,  I  believe  that  the  Lord,  in  His  own 
gracious  way,  amid  many  relapses,  has  been  leading  the 
blind  by  a  way  that  he  knows  not.  Oh  !  it  is  the  earnest 
desire  of  my  he^rt  to  be  alive  to  my  state  before  God. 
Can  I  really  be  indifferent  and  insensible  to  the  state  of 
my  soul  ?  If  I  had  any  right  feelings  at  all,  my  circum- 
stances in  connection  with  the  people  of  this  station,  my 
responsibility  and  accountability, —  these  of  themselves 
ought  to  exercise  a  most  crushing  influence  on  my  heart. 
I  scarcely  think  I  feel  aright.  The  blood  of  these  souls, 
O  Lord,  Thou  wilt  most  assuredly  require  at  my  hands. 
*  Against  Thee,  Thee  only,  have  I  sinned.'  To  Thee  I  come 
through  Jesus.  That  Thou  hast  at  all  been  pleased  for 
some  time  past  to  make  me  feel  and  think  a  little,  ought 
to  me  to  be  the  wonder  of  wonders !  I  deserve  to  be  left 
to  myself.  Merciful  Father,  give  me  ligh't.  Save  my  soul, 
and  save  the  souls  of  this  people.  My  chief  wants  and 
defects  are  these,  so  far  as  1  can  make  them  out,  viz.,  a 
heart  sufficiently  solemnized  and  impressed  on  reading 
God's  word,  the  want  of  spiritual  light  regarding  it,  and 


DARK  SHADOWS.  275 

an  indolent  spirit  regarding  those  very  things  which  I 
specially  need.  Father,  in  regard  to  all  these,  I  seek  help 
from  Thee,  and  Thy  Good  Spirit. 

"  Lord's  Day,  1st  May. — One  of  my  Sabbaths  less  on 
earth.  I  had  prayed  that  it  might  be  different  from  my 
worse  than  useless  past  Sabbaths.  I  cannot  tell  as  to  the 
effect  it  had  upon  my  soul.  I  am  now  in  a  state  of  mind 
which  it  is  difficult  to  describe  in  words.  My  Heavenly 
Father,  what  can  I  do  ?  The  chief  desire  of  my  heart  is 
to  be  Thine.  Oh  !  with  what  unworthiness  the  Gospel 
was  preached  to-day.  Oh  !  may  this  be  forgiven  of  Thee, 
through  Jesus. 

"  2nd  May,  Evening. — In  a  wretched  state  of  darkness ; 
prayer  an  unprofitable  burden.  No  sensitiveness  this  day 
as  to  my  state  before  God ;  rather  inclined  to  objectionable 
light-heartedness.  What  did  I  do  this  day  of  which  God 
will  approve  ?  Can  I  wonder  at  the  darkness  of  which  I 
complain  ?  My  life  seems  to  have  no  aim,  and  yet  this  is 
a  missionary  I  Will  the  Lord  not  assist  me  to  a  plan  by 
which  I  may  better  portion  out  my  time?  This  is  the  only 
way  by  which  life  is  in  some  degree  made  to  have  an  aim. 
I  cannot  trust  my  weak  irresolute  will.  0  God,  Thou 
guide  of  the  blind,  come  to  my  aid.  I  am  writing  a 
sermon  on  Romans  xiv.  12.  Truly,  my  state  is  an  awful 
one !  This  sermon  ought  to  be  addressed  to  myself  O 
Lord,  I  must  give  an  account  of  myself  to  Thee.  Wilt 
Thou  not  enable  me  to  live  my  time,  if  I  may  yet  live 
longer  on  earth,  so  that  I  may  give  in  my  account  not 
with  shame  and  grief  ? 

"  Sahhath,  14th  May. — The  interval  between  this  and 
the  last  has  been  a  wretched  one  indeed.  I  have  been 
gravitating  back  to  indifference  and  unconcern  as  to  my 
state.  W^hat  is  the  radical  cause  of  all  this  ?   It  is  indolence 


270  TIYO   SOGA. 

more  than  unbelief.  Sometimes,  this  is  truly  deplorable. 
I  feel  even  religious  duties  a  burden;  preaching  and 
exhorting  a  burden ;  reading  God's  Word  a  burden  ;  prayer 
a  burden.  Through  some  of  these  duties,  during  the  whole 
of  the  last  two  weeks,  I  have  gone  mechanically.  Can  I, 
under  such  circumstances,  expect  a  blessing  from  God  ? 
This  Sabbath  has  been  to  me  totally  unprofitable,  with 
no  sufficiently  serious  feelings.  Why  was  there  not  more 
concern  for  the  salvation  of  those  souls,  who  more  than 
usual  have  crowded  into  the  house  of  God  this  day  ?  Had 
I  no  concern  for  my  own  soul  ?  This  evening,  without 
any  special  religious  feelings,  but  perhaps  simply  because 
it  was  Sabbath,  I  took  up  the  second  series  of  Archer 
Butler's  sermons,  and  read  one  on  2  Timothy  i.  8.  I  was 
specially  drawn  towards  it,  because  I  had  written  a  sermon 
on  that  text.  What  Butler  says  on  indolence  moved  me 
to  seriousness.  O  God,  wilt  Thou  bless  the  truth  to  my 
wretched  soul  ?  Were  it  not  for  my  state,  I  would  not 
now  be  as  I  am,  and  in  retirement  penning  these  lines. 
May  I  indulge  the  hope,  0  Thou  Spirit  of  God,  that  the 
words  which  have  impressed  me  are  a  visitation  from  Thee? 
I  am  a  most  wretched  being,  and  yet  I  can  be  indolent. 
Is  it  I  who  am  a  missionary  ?  Ought  not  this  very  thought, 
O  blessed  God,  make  me  weep  before  Thee  ?  The  feeling  of 
my  responsibility  has  hitherto  only  been  temporary.  What 
is  really  to  become  of  me,  and  this  people?  O  Lord,  I  leave 
my  sinful  case  before  Thee.  Thou  hast  not  appointed  me  to 
wrath.  Preached  to-day  on  the  women  who  followed  Christ, 
especially  Mary  Magdalene.  Oh  !  my  Heavenly  Father, 
Thou  knowest  me.  If  Thou  hast  be^i^un  the  good  work  in 
me,  carry  it  on  unto  the  day  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  I  desire 
earnestly  to  ])e  Thine.  But,  oh  !  the  hardness  of  my  heart. 
By  Thy  blessed  Spirit  quicken  me,  and  make  me  live. 


DARK   SHADOWS.  277 

"  Sunday,  11th  November. — Since  my  last  entry  I  have 
passed  through  various  frames;  but  I  am  sure  the  pro- 
minent blemishes  of  my  character  have  been  indifference, 
indolence,  unbelief,  and  faithlessness.  What  is  it  that  will 
save  me  ?  Father,  let  me  experience  the  enormity  of  my 
guilt,  and  the  greatness  of  Thy  mercy.  The  Gospel  has 
all  that  time  been  preached  by  me  in  hypocrisy.  I  cannot 
take  credit  to  myself  for  anything;  yet  I  live.  Lord, 
Thou  hast  saved  many  thousands  from  hypocrisy  and 
indifference.  To  whom  shall  I  go  ?  Thou  alone  canst 
save  me ! 

"  12th  November. — He  is  a  bad  child  who  not  only  hates 
his  father,  and  is  proud,  disobedient,  and  insolent  to  him ; 
but  who  suspects  everything  that  his  father  does,  and 
thinks  that  he  does  not  mean  what  he  says,  when  he 
promises  pardon,  if  the  rebellious  and  undutiful  child 
comes  and  confesses  his  guilt.  What  right,  then,  have 
I  to  treat  my  most  merciful  Heavenly  Father  in  this 
way?  I  desire  now,  with  all  my  heart,  that  I  may 
cease  to  doubt. 

"  17th  November,  1862.  —  Yesterday  I  read  Phelp's 
'  Still  Hour.'  I  trust  that  God  has  sent  that  book  to  bless 
my  poor  soul.  I  earnestly  beseech  the  Lord  to  make  it  a 
blessing.  My  heart  is  in  great  darkness.  I  do  not  believe 
that  there  is  a  more  wretched  man  on  earth  than  I.  My 
heart  is  not  right  with  God.  The  cause  of  this  unhappi- 
ness  of  soul  is  seen  in  my  temper.  It  seems  as  if  I  cannot 
make  others  happy,  because  I  myself  am  wretched.  There 
are  three  great  defects  in  the  struggles  of  my  soul  towards 
a  right  state  of  heart  with  God :  1st.  Want  of  veneration 
for,  and  reverence  and  fear  of  God.  2nd.  I  look  far  too 
much  to  my  sins,  and  the  consequence  is  I  see  them,  and 
am  so  discouraofed  as  not  to  see  Christ.     8rd.  I  look  too 


278  TIYO   SOGA. 

iiuich  for  something  in  the  heart — a  kind  of  sign  that  I 
believe.  Guide  me,  0  God,  to  a  right  knowledge  of  Thee. 
Blessed  Spirit,  come ! 

"  Q2nd  May,  1863. — A  wretched  man,  spiritually!  Yet 
I  cannot  tell  what  keeps  me  from  God  and  Christ.  It 
cannot  be  my  hypocrisy;  it  cannot  be  any  sins  that  I  have 
committed  against  God  while  I  had  the  knowledge  of  His 
Word ;  it  must  be  the  natural  depravity  of  the  heart,  the 
dislike  of  a  bad  heart  to  God  and  to  what  is  good.  What 
is  it  that  is  keeping  me  back  from  Thee,  O  Jesus  ?  Should 
I  be  a  spotless  saint  before  I  come  to  Thee  to  be  saved  ? 
I  know  and  feel  that  I  cannot  save  my  soul,  do  what  I 
^vill ;  but  why,  then,  not  believe  in  a  salvation  wrought 
out  for  me  by  the  mercy  of  God  ? 

"  ^Jfih  May. — I  ought  not  to  despise  anj^thing  I  have, 
which  I  had  not.  Father,  wilt  thou  not  remember  me  ? 
Enlighten  me  !  Everything  is  on  the  side  of  believing  in 
God,  my  Heavenly  Father,  and  of  accepting  Christ  with 
all  my  heart.  God  is  my  Father ;  I  am  His  child.  God 
is  the  Giver  of  all  good  things  to  me.  God  is  the  God 
and  Father  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ,  who  has 
been  given  to  me  specially,  as  to  all  sinners ;  given  by  free 
favour.  Why  should  I  doubt  ?  The  promises  are  all  on 
my  side.  It  is  impossible  to  conceive  of  anything  more 
awful  than  the  state  of  the  human  heart — my  heart — 
when  it  can  so  much  resist  and  oppose  what  God  has  done 
and  said.  Pray  then,  my  soul,  for  a  holy  reverence  for 
God ;  for  the  forgiveness  of  my  sin  of  sins — unbelief  and 
hardness  of  heart ;  for  light  and  faith  in  the  testimony  of 
God  concerning  Himself,  and  His  Son,  Spirit,  and  Word." 
His  trials  sent  his  thoughts  inwards,  and  drew  him 
closer  to  the  Divine  fountain  for  strength.  Tiyo  Soga  stood 
alone  and  apart  from  all  his  countrymen.     Men  wondered 


DARK   SHADOWS.  279 

what  had  made  him  so  different  from  his  fellows.  On 
coming  into  contact  with  him,  a  short  conversation  revealed 
that  something  specially  distinguished  him  from  all  other 
Kafirs.  It  was  not  his  education,  although  that  was  appa- 
rent. It  was  not  the  polish  which  civilization  had  given 
him.  Nor  was  it  the  fact  that  he  was  the  teacher  of  others. 
We  have  the  mystery  solved  in  these  strong  cries,  as  he 
stood  face  to  face  with  the  unseen  but  ever-present  Spirit 
of  all  good,  pouring  out  the  inmost  secret  of  his  being, 
with  a  pathos  and  sincerity  that  "  made  him  strong  in  the 
Lord  and  in  the  power  of  His  might."  That  marvellous 
humility,  which  shone  forth  in  every  look  and  word,  was 
attained  by  a  severe  and  sustained  conflict  with  self. 
Gloomy  and  unsatisfactory  as  these  earnest  cries  may  seem 
to  some  men,  let  us  remember  whence  they  issued  and  in 
whose  august  presence  they  were  uttered.  They  are  not 
religious  musings,  for  the  edification  of  others.  They  were 
breathed  into  the  ever-listening  ear  of  Him,  before  whose 
awful  purity  any  human  goodness  pales  and  withers.  They 
are  the  struggles  of  a  faith,  conscious  of  its  weakness,  and 
yet  earnestly  desiring  to  be  strong.  They  are  the  feeble 
hand  outstretched  to  grasp  Him  who  is  all-powerful.  They 
are  but  an  expansion  of  the  words  of  the  Laureate : — 

"Strong  Son  of  God,  Immortal  Love, 

Whom  we,  that  have  not  seen  Thy  face. 
By  faith,  and  faith  alone,  embrace, 
Believing  where  we  cannot  prove." 


CHAPTER   XVI. 

GLIMPSES     OF     SUNSHINE. 
"  I  am  with  you  alway." 

When  the  Mission  Board  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  had  information  of  Tiyo's  impaired  state  of  health, 
they  immediately  proved  their  anxious  solicitude  on  his 
behalf,  by  relieving  him  from  all  active  mission  work,  and 
authorizing  him,  as  friends  had  advised,  to  take  several 
months'  furlough,  and  proceed  to  the  drier  regions  north 
of  the  Orange  River.  He  set  out  on  his  journey,  on 
horseback,  on  13th  June,  1863,  accompanied  by  two  of  his 
elders.  In  his  travels,  he  first  visited  the  mission  stations 
of  the  Moravian  brethren  in  the  Queenstown  district, 
and  was  cordially  welcomed.  His  name  was  a  sufficient 
passport.  "  On  1 0th  June,"  he  writes  of  the  mission  station 
of  Shiloh,  "  I  visited  the  school,  the  mill,  the  shops  for 
trades,  and  the  gardens,  which  bear  the  marks  of  great 
industry  and  ingenuity.  I  found  here,  as  in  Goshen,  that 
there  is  no  outlying  heathen  population  to  evangelize. 
The  four  brethren,  Gysen,  Stephan,  Weiz,  and  Richter, 
devote  their  energies  to  a  population  of  698  residents  on 
the  mission  lands.  They  maintain  themselves  and  their 
families,  and  receive  no  salaries  from  Germany.  The 
surplus  goes  to  the  home  treasury.  The  Moravian  mission- 
aries are  not  allowed  to  hold  personal  property.  They  can 
make  no  temporal  provision  for  themselves.  They  send 
home  their  children  at  seven  years  of  age,  to  be  educated 


GLIMPSES    OF   SUNSHINE.  281 

by  the  Society,  which  assigns  them  a  profession.  Rarely 
do  the  parents  again  see  their  children.  The  sons  are 
appointed  as  missionaries  to  other  lands,  and  the  daughters 
are  married  at  home,  or  are  sent  to  foreign  countries  as 
wives  to  missionaries.     The  choice  is  made  by  lot. 

"  I  learned  from  the  Shiloh  brethren  an  interestins:  fact, 
which  illustrates,  in  a  very  striking  way,  the  efficacy  of 
prayer,  and  God's  special  interposition  on  behalf  of  His 
people.  The  Moravian  mission,  in  Labrador,  was  begun 
in  the  year  1771,  about  92  years  ago.  The  missionaries 
depended  for  subsistence  on  annual  supplies  from  Europe. 
About  the  month  of  June,  a  vessel  quitted  the  port  of 
London,  laden  with  provisions,  goods,  and  presents  from 
friends,  and  with  no  passengers  on  board  except  mission- 
aries and  their  wives.  The  voyage  is  very  perilous.  But 
whilst  hundreds  of  other  vessels  have  been  wrecked  among 
icebergs,  not  a  single  accident  during  these  92  years  has 
befallen  the  missionary  ships.  This  singular  fact  is  surely 
the  direct  interposition  of  God  on  behalf  of  His  people,  and 
a  confirmation  of  the  truth  that  He  '  hath  gathered  the 
wind  in  his  fists,'  and  '  bound  the  waters  in  a  garment.'  It 
is  not  said  in  vain  to  the  messenofers  of  Mad  tidiness,  '  Lo, 
I  am  with  you  alway,  even  unto  the  end  of  the  world.' " 

From  the  Moravian  Stations,  Tiyo  passed  on  to  the 
Wesleyan  Stations  of  Lesseyton,  and  Glen  Grey.  Of  the 
former  place  he  writes :  "  There  is  here  an  Industrial 
School  attended  by  28  youths,  who  are  taught  various 
trades,  such  as  shoemaking,  carpentry,  masonry,  &c. 
Several  have  already  gone  forth  as  full-fledged  journeymen. 
The  lads  read  English  well,  and  write  and  cipher  tolerably. 
I  was  greatly  pleased  with  the  Sabbath  School.  On 
entering  the  schoolroom,  all  the  children  rose,  and  heartily 
sang  a  verse  of  salutation  and  welcome.     The  graceful 


282  TIYO   SOGA. 

way  in  which  they  did  it  surpassed  anything  I  had  ever 
seen.  Most  of  them  read  with  ease  the  English  New 
Testament.  The  school  was  attended  by  200  scholars, 
mainly  children,  but  there  were  also  some  adults  anxious 
to  learn.  The  "population  of  the  station  is  4,500,  and  the 
people  raised  £300  during  the  previous  year  for  mission 
work  amongst  themselves.  The  people  of  Lesseyton 
and  Glen  Grey  are  well  off  in  worldly  things.  Four 
men  there  unitedly  own  1,400  sheep.  They  have  neat 
cottages,  which  are  respectably  furnished.  Altogether 
they  are  in  advance  of  any  native  Christians  I  have  seen. 
At  Glen  Grey  they  raised  last  year  for  the  maintenance 
of  religious  ordinances  £230.  The  population,  including 
the  out-stations,  amounts  to  about  4,000.  Eighty  children 
attend  school." 

He  then  crossed  the  Stormberg  where  he  "  saw  ice  half 
an  inch  thick,  and  icicles  as  thick  as  an  infant's  arm  1 " 
From  such  gentlemen  as  the  late  Mr.  Warner,  and  Mr. 
Giltillan,  he  experienced  great  kindness,  and  received 
letters  of  introduction  as  well  as  guides  for  his  journey. 
On  one  occasion  the  guide  took  them  several  miles  beyond 
the  station,  where  they  purposed  halting  for  the  night. 
"  After  we  had  ridden  in  vain  alonor  a  well-beaten  waofo-on 
road  which,  our  guide  said,  would  take  us  to  the  station  of 
Mr.  Roland,  we  off-saddled  beside  a  rock,  intending  to 
stay  there,  and  rest  until  the  day  dawned.  I  dreaded 
slee})ing  in  the  open  held.  We  kindled  a  fire,  and  roasted 
a  small  piece  of  meat.  Our  guide  went  on  foot  some 
distance  along  the  waggon  road,  and  shortly  afterwards 
returned  saying  he  had  seen  the  station,  and  would  search 
for  a  shorter  road  to  it.  After  considerable  delay  he 
reported  tliat  he  had  found  a  footpath,  and  was  sure  that 
the  place  was  the  station,  as  he  heard  the  singing  of  hymn 


GLIMPSES   OF  SUNSHINE.  283 

tunes !  We  were  delighted,  and  quickly  saddled  our 
horses  and  moved  off.  We  had  not  proceeded  ten  minutes 
on  our  journey,  when  we  discovered,  that  we  were  on  the 
edge  of  a  precipitous  mountain.  We  had  therefore  to 
dismount  and  scramble  down.  On  reaching  the  base  of  it 
and  riding  over  a  very  stony  pathless  flat  alongside  the 
Kraai  River,  we  crossed  with  great  difficulty  and  reached 
a  Basuto  kraal.  When  we  inquired  for  the  station,  we 
were  told  that  we  were  several  miles  beyond  it.  We  could 
proceed  no  further,  and  asked  shelter  for  the  night.  They 
gave  us  an  enclosure,  but  uncovered  overhead.  I  told 
them  I  could  not  sleep  outside.  One  of  the  men  then 
surrendered  one  side  of  his  hut,  and  the  other  was  occupied 
by  his  family.  They  showed  us  no  small  kindness  in 
words!  We  laid  ourselves  down  to  sleep,  thankful  for 
even  such  accommodation. 

"  27th  June. — Held  family  worship.  The  people  sang 
the  hymn  in  their  own  language,  and  in  a  way  that 
made  it  difficult  for  me  to  refrain  from  tears.  They 
sang  an  old  Scotch  tune  which  we  knew.  My  thoughts 
rushed  homewards  to  my  dear  children,  so  far  from  me. 
This  experience  by  the  wayside  has  taught  me  the  following 
maxims : — 

"  I.  Be  kind  to  your  wife  and  children  at  home,  for 
when  away  from  tbem  any  harsh  act,  or  word,  comes  up 
with  painful  remembrance. 

"  II.  Treat  a  stranger  with  kindness ;  for,  if  you  have 
travelled  yourself,  you  will  know  the  value  of  kindness. 
If  you  have  not  travelled,  you  may,  some  day. 

"  III.  Give  a  stranger  who  comes  from  a  distance,  and 
does  not  know  the  country,  a  guide  for  the  next  stage  or 
two.  Even  with  the  plainest  directions,  a  strange  traveller 
is  prone  to  lose  the  road." 


284  TIYO   SOGA. 

Tiyo  very  reluctantly  retraced  his  steps  homewards 
from  Basutoland,  after  having  seen  only  one  Wesleyan 
mission  station,  and  two  belonging  to  the  French  Society 
in  that  country;  and  also  without  having  visited  the  Old 
Man  of  the  Mountain,  the  great  Basuto  chief,  Moshesh, 
whom  he  was  most  anxious  to  see.  "  The  journey  to  the 
Orange  River,  in  the  month  of  June,  did  me  much  good," 
he  wi'ites  to  Dr.  Somerville.  "  I  could  go  no  further  than 
two  days' journey  beyond  it.  The  country,  north  of  this 
river,  is  the  territory  of  Moshesh.  This  is  the  field  of  the 
missionary  labours  of  the  brethren  of  the  Paris  Missionary 
Society;  and  it  was  my  great  desire,  on  leaving  home, 
to  visit  as  many  of  their  stations  as  I  conveniently  could. 
There  are  altogether  18  mission  stations  in  Moshesh's 
country,  with  20  missionaries;  18  ordained,  2  unordained. 
Their  whole  membership,  I  believe,  will  not  amount  to 
2000.  My  impressions  of  what  I  saw  and  heard  at  the 
two  stations  I  visited,  were  not  quite  favourable.  The 
brethren,  however,  are  most  active,  zealous  men,  with 
much  to  contend  against.  The  Rev.  Emille  Roland  was 
manfully  battling  with  the  difficulties  and  trials  of  a 
new  station.  In  his  wife  he  has  a  noble  coadjutor.  How 
different  was  her  new  home,  from  that  in  the  capital 
of  Scotland,  as  she  came  into  her  scarce-finished  cottage 
of  two  rooms,  and  from  her  open-air  kitchen,  with  eyes 
blood-red  from  the  smoke !  Yet  she  was  happy,  and 
patiently  encountered  what  must  have  been  a  great  trial 
to  a  lady  of  her  station  and  education.  From  Beersheba  I 
was  obliged  to  retrace  my  steps  homewards,  from  the  state 
of  my  horses,  and  the  difficulty  of  hiring  others  in  the 
unsettled  state  of  the  country." 

On  7th  August,  1863,  he  writes  to  Mr.  Gumming:  "It 
is  nearly  three  weeks  since  I  returned  from  beyond  the 


GLIMPSES   OF  SUNSHINE.  285 

Orange  River.  The  trip  did  me  good  physically.  I  am 
now  stronger,  and  in  better  health.  I  was  well  during  my 
journey,  and  the  weather  was  remarkably  favourable.  We 
had  not  one  bad  day.  The  French  mission  stations  were 
somewhat  disappointing.  The  Christian  natives  are  much 
behind  ours  even  in  outward  things.  On  my  return  Mrs.  S. 
was  from  home,  and  for  a  fortnight  I  led  a  bachelor  life. 
Three  things  hastened  my  retreat  homewards.  My  horses 
got  disabled,  and  food  was  very  scarce.  I  could  not  brook 
the  idea  of  sharing  the  hospitality  of  missionaries  having  a 
salary  of  only  £100  a  year,  when  out  of  that  income  they 
had  to  purchase  meal  at  £6  per  muid,  and  coffee  at  £10 
per  bag.  We  could  not  get  horses,  even  for  hire.  The 
country  is  in  such  confusion,  that  people  would  not  part 
with  their  horses  on  any  terms,  as  they  constitute  a  means 
of  escape  from  the  incursions  of  Boers  and  thieves.  The 
kindness  of  the  Mission  Board  during  my  late  illness,  and 
their  liberality  in  providing  means  for  recruiting  and 
strengthening  my  health,  are  altogether  beyond  what  I 
had  reason  to  expect.  I  never  had  an  overweening  esti- 
mate of  my  own  importance  as  their  agent.  I  am  deeply 
moved  by  the  kindness  of  our  directors.  May  the  Lord 
give  me  grace  so  to  act,  as  more  and  more  to  deserve 
their  esteem  and  kindness." 

On  the  first  Sunday  after  his  return  from  Basutoland, 
he  preached  to  his  people  from  Psalm  cvi.  7,  "  Our  ffithers 
understood  not  thy  wonders  in  Egypt ;  they  remembered 
not  the  multitude  of  thy  mercies ;  but  provoked  him  at 
the  sea,  even  at  the  Red  sea,"  and  sfave  them  an  account 
of  his  travels  and  all  he  had  seen.  The  last  paragraph  of 
the  sermon  is :  "I  have  seen  other  nations;  but  I  love  my 
own  the  more.  I  have  seen  other  countries ;  but  I  love 
our  own  the  more.    I  have  seen  other  places ;  but  I  would 


286  TIYO   SOGA. 

not  exchange  the  Mgwali  for  them  all.  I  have  seen  other 
churches ;  but  this  one  is  dearer  to  me  than  ever.  There 
are  only  two  stations  I  have  seen,  which  surpass  ours 
in  almost  everything;  and  these  belong  to  the  Wesleyans. 
Take  heed,  then,  lest  with  such  privileges  you  repeat  the 
inorratitude,  described  in  the  words  of  our  text." 

Another  noteworthy  event,  during  1863,  was  the  first 
anniversary  to  celebrate  the  opening  of  the  Mgwali  church, 
which  was  held  in  September.  Tiyo  writes :  "  In  June, 
when  the  anniversary  fell  due,  I  took  a  journey  to  Basuto- 
land  to  recruit  my  health.  The  services,  though  well 
attended,  and  efficiently  conducted  by  missionaries  of 
other  denominations,  were  by  no  means  equal  in  interest 
to  those  at  the  opening.  Nor  was  such  liberalit}'  mani- 
fested by  the  people.  At  the  conclusion  of  the  public 
meeting,  on  the  Tuesday,  the  debt,  which  amounted  to 
£361,  was  reduced  to  £83,  and  will,  I  trust,  be  swept 
away  by  the  end  of  the  year.  For  this  happy  result,  I 
am  greatly  indebted  to  John  Henderson,  Esq.,  of  Park, 
who  sent  another  hundred  pounds  for  the  church ;  and  I 
am  indebted  also  to  the  contributions  from  various  friends, 
congregations,  missionary  societies,  and  Sabbath  schools  of 
our  own  Church,  in  different  parts  of  England  and  Scot- 
land. Had  these  good  friends,  old  and  young,  been 
yesterday  in  the  Mgwali  church,  and  seen  the  baptism  of 
twenty  persons,  whose  profession  of  the  Gospel  gladdened 
our  hearts ; — and  had  they  surveyed  the  solemn  and 
devout  audience  that  filled  the  ample  area,  they  would 
have  thanked  God.  And  if  they  read  these  lines,  let 
them  thank  God  for  the  church  which  their  gifts  have 
helped  so  largely  to  build.  Nothing,  apart  from  the 
consolations  of  the  Gospel,  has  more  kept  me  from  dis- 
quieting fears,  when  the  cost  of  the  building  grew  upon 


GLIMPSES   OF   SUNSHINE.  287 

me,  than  the  regularity  with  which  these  subscri[)tions 
arrived,  month  after  month,  until  all  was  completed.  N(jr 
have  these  friends  ceased  helping  us  in  the  liquidation  of 
our  debt.  I  tender  to  all  of  them  my  unceasing  thanks 
for  their  sympathy  and  co-operation." 

To  the  Rev.  Henry  Miller,  he  refers  to  the  same  event : 
"  We  held  the  anniversary  of  the  opening  of  our  church 
in  September.  Several  missionaries  were  present.  The 
debt  has  been  reduced  during  the  year,  by  the  assistance 
of  friends  and  congregations  at  home,  and  the  contribu- 
tions of  our  people,  to  £83.  Unwilling  as  our  people  are, 
we  aim  at  training  them  to  sustain  religious  ordinances. 
We  must  teach  our  people  the  duty  of  self-help,  and  it 
will  be  easy  for  them  afterwards  to  maintain  religious 
ordinances. 

"  The  friends  at  home,  and  your  own  congregation 
among  others,  have  liberally  helped  me.  I  thank  the 
Master  and  them.  The  handsome  donation  from  your 
good  people  is  nothing  more  than  I  expected,  from  your 
interest  in  your  friend,  and  in  the  work  in  which  he  is 
engaged.  Say  to  your  people,  that  whilst  Kafir  gratitude 
is  retrospective,  it  is  also  prospective.  I  thank  them 
heartily  for  being  so  mindful  of  our  wants  ;  but  I  thank 
them  also,  for  what  they  will  do  for  us.  A  Kafir,  when 
holding  the  gift  in  his  hand,  will  thank  you,  and  say, 
'  Pray,  be  not  weary,  should  you  even  have  to  repeat  this 
favour  to-morrow.'  It  is  in  this  spirit  of  anticipatory 
begging  that  I  thank  the  liberality  of  your  people.  Why 
should  they  not  remember  the  poor  Kafirs  of  southern 
Africa,  as  well  as  the  poor  negroes  of  western  Africa  ? 
They  are  as  spiritually  destitute  here  as  in  Old  Calabar ; 
and  the  fact  that  they  have  been  very  troublesome  to  the 
white  man,  is  a  reason  why  Christians  should  Avish  to  win 


288  TIYO   SOGA. 

them  to  Christ,  and  make  them  good  neighbours  by  a 
liberal  support  of  that  Gospel  which,  among  the  Kafirs 
also,  is  '  the  power  of  God  unto  salvation  to  eveiy  one 
that  believeth.'  Any  future  contributions  I  shall  use  to 
meet  our  future  plan  of  erecting  small  mission  churches 
at  our  out-stations.  This  is  a  system  of  church  extension 
in  the  mission  held.  I  am  looking  towards  two  localities, 
w^iich  are  well  populated.  Come  out  here,  and  see  how 
much  remains  to  be  done,  and  you  will  arrive  at  the 
conclusion  that  what  any  one  missionary  has  done  is  like 
a  drop  in  the  bucket.  The  prospect  of  accomplishing 
much  good  in  this  field  is  very  dark  indeed.  To  the 
chains  of  heathen  customs  and  practices,  which  hold  my 
countrymen  in  bondage,  there  have  been  added  others, 
heavier  and  still  more  destructive.  I  say  with  regret  that 
these  are  the  results  of  contact  with  civilization.  My  faith 
in  civilization  alone,  if  it  does  not  follow  in  the  wake  of 
Christianity,  is  gone.  The  civilization  of  civilized  men, 
who  care  nothing,  and  do  nothing,  for  the  moral,  physical, 
and  intellectual  improvement  of  ignorant  men  in  barbarous 
countries,  with  whom  they  come  into  contact,  is  destruc- 
tive. No  man  needs  talk  about  civihzation,  apart  from 
Christianity,  when  I  see  the  natives  here  rushing  to  ruin 
by  drunkenness,  and  other  vices  of  civilized  ungodly  men. 
Civilization  is  the  handmaid  of  Christianity,  only  when  it 
is  the  result  of  Christianity.  I  should  like  to  go  to 
Scotland,  to  be  present  at  the  consummation  of  the  con- 
templated union  between  our  Church  and  the  Free  Church. 
Those  who  live  to  see  that  day  will  not  have  lived  in 
vain.  I  should  like  to  take  into  my  own  soul  the  blessed 
impression  of  that  memorable  day.  The  desirableness  of 
God's  peojjle  being  one,  is  felt  more  by  missionaries  in 
heathen  lan<ls,  than  by  ministers  at  home." 


GLIMPSES   OF   SUNSHINE.  289 

As  his  second  son,  John  Henderson,  did  not  outgrow 
the  injury  that  befel  him  in  infancy,  Mrs.  Soga  took  him 
to  Scotland  in  September,  1863.  "  In  this  country,"  writes 
his  anxious  father,  "  nothing  can  be  done  for  him.  Medical 
men  and  institutions  have  not  the  necessary  appliances  foi- 
such  cases.  Parental  duty  and  anxiety  were  intensified 
by  the  thought  that  the  boy,  now  so  healthy  and  happy, 
might  grow  up  into  a  helpless  man,  and  reflect  upon  his 
parents  that  they  had  not  done  more  for  his  enfeebled 
limb.  On  such  considerations,  we  must  send  him  home. 
It  will  be  a  satisfaction  to  us,  and  to  him,  even  thoucrh  the 
treatment  should  fail,  to  know  that  all  that  was  possible 
had  been  done  by  us." 

This  step  awakened  a  desire  to  visit  Scotland  once 
more,  and  thus  Tiyo  writes  to  Mr.  Johnston :  "  I  could 
not,  without  consulting  Dr.   S.  and  the  Mission  Board, 
accompany  my  wife  and   child.      I  could   not   ask  the 
Board  to  give  me  leave  of  absence,  and  pay  my  expenses 
home.      They  granted  me  the  means,  quite  recently,  to 
recruit  my  health.     I  had  a  journey  to  the  Orange  River, 
which,  under  God,  set  me  up  again.     Should  they,  how- 
ever, ask  me  home,  although  I  now  dread  the  cold  of 
Scotland,  I  would  jump  at  the  invitation.    I  cherish  a  dim 
hope  that  my  personal  friends  may  ask  me ;  but  perhaps 
this  is  chimerical."     Still  later  he  writes :  "  I  would  not 
refuse  an  ofier  to  follow  my  wife,  although  one  has  a 
special  kind  of  terror,  when  he  thinks  of  what  is  expected 
from  missionaries  in  Scotland.     Ours  is  now  a  tame  mis- 
sionary life,  with  no  break-neck  adventures,  no  narrow 
escapes  from  lions  and  tigers ;  and  it  would  be  difficult  to 
produce  a  sensation  in  this  age  of  sensationalism.    It  would 
be  a  splendid  thing  if  I  could  take  home  half  a  dozen 
hideous   specimens    of   living   South   African  goriUas ! 


290  TIYO   SOGA. 

When  you  take  up  the  *  Kafir  question'  in  your  Mutual 
Improvement  Society,  I  would  be  glad  to  have  an  epitome 
of  your  discussion.  I  am,  as  you  can  believe,  deeply 
interested  in  that  question ;  and  more  especially,  since  the 
feeling  of  hostility  to  the  Kafir  has  been  awakened  by 
recent  thievings,  which  sadden  one's  heart.  I  have  dis- 
cussed  this  question  of  Kafir-stealing  in  the  pages  of  the 
'  Indaha.'  I  deal  with  it  as  it  affects  themselves.  In  the 
first  paper  I  have  traced  the  causes  of  it ;  in  the  next  I 
take  up  the  consequences,  and  the  means  of  its  preven- 
tion. I  wish  that  I  could  get  my  poor  countrymen  to 
give  up  stealing,  although  theirs  is  not  to  be  compared  to 
the  refined  thieving  of  forgery,  embezzlement,  and  volun- 
tary insolvency.  Much  more  noise  is  made  about  this  vice, 
when  practised  by  my  poor  countrymen.  At  the  same 
time,  the  Kafirs  cannot  improve  until  they  give  up  these 
mean  and  wicked  habits." 

When  it  was  fully  represented  to  the  Mission  Board  of 
the  Home  Church,  that  Tiyo  Soga  was  living  in  a  wattle 
and  daub  cottage,  which  was  fast  crumbling  to  decay,  he 
was  at  once  authorized  to  build  a  more  substantial  and 
comfortable  dwelling. .  On  6th  July,  1863,  he  writes  to 
Mr.  Johnston  :  "  I  am  on  the  eve  of  commencing  my  house. 
I  have  not  yet  heard,  directly  and  officially,  from  the 
Board ;  but  I  believe  they  have  made  a  grant  of  £650  for 
the  purpose.  Like  a  burnt  child,  I  dread  the  prospect  of 
having  more  to  do  with  bricks  and  mortar.  It  is  now 
impossible  for  me  to  undertake  such  cares,  without  great 
anxiety;  yet  I  am  trying  to  act  upon  your  kind  advice, 
not  80  much  because  of  my  usefulness  to  the  Church — as 
I  have  a  very  poor  and  humble  estimate  of  that — but,  as 
I  fear,  from  a  concern  for  my  family."  He  saw  the  house 
finished  within  that  year.     "  I  took  possession  of  the  new 


GLIMPSES   OF  SUNSHINE.  291 

mission  house  at  the  Mgwali  on  22nd  December,  1863. 
The  building  of  it  took  three  months  and  nine  days.  I  am 
writing  in  the  study.  I  gratefully  take  my  life-lease  of 
it,  and  am  glad  of  the  escape  from  my  old  quarters.  I 
gave  an  entertainment  to  the  people  of  the  station,  who 
rejoiced  with  me  over  the  restoration  of  my  health,  and  the 
completion  of  the  mission  house.  The  rains  have  been 
such  as  I  have  not  seen  since  coming  to  the  Mgwali.  The 
country  was  flooded,  and  there  was  destruction  of  property. 
We  are  now  without  a  school  house.  The  rains  brought 
our  old  church  to  its  close.  For  nearly  two  months  there 
has  been  no  week-day  school ;  nor  can  there  be  any  until 
a  hut  is  erected  which  may  temporarily  serve  the  purpose.'' 

It  becomes  a  question,  therefore,  if  Mission  Boards 
should  spend  money  on  temporary  buildings  at  mission 
stations.  The  time  has  probably  arrived  when  Mission 
Boards,  having  a  pecuniary  stake  in  foreign  fields,  should 
see  to  the  erection  of  permanent  buildings.  Friends  of 
mission-work  in  the  Colony  would  cheerfully  co-operate 
with  the  missionaries,  and  render  valuable  assistance. 
Were  Mission  Boards  in  England  and  Scotland  to  obtain 
the  aid  of  such  men  in  the  country  itself,  a  vast  sum 
would  be  saved,  and  the  colonists  would  become  more 
interested  in  missions  around  them. 

On  8th  February,  1864,  Tiyo  Soga's  fellow-labourer,  Mr. 
Chalmers,  removed  from  the  Mgwali,  and  established  a 
second  station,  among  the  Gaikas,  at  the  Thomas  River, 
which  was  named  for  the  large-hearted  philanthropist,  and 
friend  of  mission-work — the  late  John  Henderson,  Esq., 
of  Park.  It  had  long  been  the  earnest  desire  and  prayer 
of  Tiyo  Soga,  that  a  mission  should  be  established  at  this 
place  among  the  remnants  of  the  late  Tyali's  tribe,  amongst 
whom   the    missionaries   at    the   Chumie    had   formerly 


292  TITO  SOGA. 

laboured.  His  fond  hopes  were  at  length  realized.  Tiyo's 
record  of  this  event  is  as  follows : — "  Before  Mr.  Chalmers 
entered  permanently  upon  the  occupation  of  the  Thomas 
River,  it  was  desirable  to  have  him  formally  and  publicly 
introduced  to,  and  recognised  by,  the  people  of  his  future 
charge.  Accordingly,  on  29th  January,  1864,  we  accom- 
panied Mr.  Brownlee  who  had  most  readily  and  kindly 
promised  to  introduce  him.  On  our  arrival  at  the  Thomas 
River,  about  one  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  we  found  that 
the  chief  Oba  was  waiting  for  us  at  a  kraal,  not  far  from 
where  Mr.  Chalmers'  huts  stand.  We  were  scarcely  off- 
saddled,  when  Oba  made  his  imposing  and  dignified 
appearance,  followed  by  a  considerable  body  of  horsemen. 
They  came  riding  very  slowly,  and  then  made  a  halt,  at  a 
few  yards  from  us,  wishing  us  no  doubt  to  admire  them ; 
and  then  they  dismounted.  My  countrymen  have  a  little 
of  that  vanity,  to  which  your  countrymen  must  also  plead 
guilty.  They  desire  to  produce  a  striking  effect.  They  are 
not  behind  their  fairer  neighbours  as  to  self-satisfaction, 
and  the  wish  that  others  should  be  pleased  with  them. 
After  exchanojinpf  salutations,  Mr.  Brownlee  rose  and 
addressed  the  two  brothers,  Oba  and  Fynn,  the  sons  of 
Tyali,  and  their  councillors  as  follows : — '  What  I  have 
come  to  do,  sons  of  Tyali,  does  not  require  many  words ; 
and  yet  it  is  a  great  thing.  I  have  come  to  commend  to 
your  care  this  young  man,  the  son  of  the  former  teacher 
of  your  tribe,  who  lies  buried,  like  your  father  Tyali,  at 
the  Chumie.  God  has  put  it  into  the  heart  of  the  son  to 
follow  in  the  footsteps  of  his  late  father,  and  to  come  and 
preach  the  gospel  to  the  children  of  Xosa.  You  have  done 
well  to  be  present,  to-day,  with  your  people.  You  know 
for  what  the  teachers  have  come ;  and  it  is  a  srreat  thins: 
which  they  have  brought  to  your  people.    It  is  a  blessing 


GLIMPSES   OF   SUNSHINE.  293 

which  comes  from  above.  Although  recently  brought  to  you 
Kafirs,  still  it  has  been  in  existence  for  many  ages,  and  has 
been  made  known  to,  and  received  by,  other  nations  long 
before  you  and  I  were  born.    Happy  will  your  people  be  if 
they  receive  it !    I  commend,  then,  this  teacher  who  brings 
this  word  to  you,  this  day.     Your  father  and  his  father 
respected  each  other,  and  treated  each  other  well.    Know 
him,  then,  as  your  father  knew  his  father.    You  are  aware 
that  Tyali  was  no  enemy  to  the  Word  of  God.    He  placed  no 
hindrances  in  the  way  of  his  people  becoming  Christians. 
It  is  not  unreasonable  to  expect  the  same  thing  from  you. 
There,  then,  is  your  teacher.    With  you  I  now  leave  him.' 
"  My  old  father,  Soga,  followed   the  Gaika  Commis- 
sioner, and  with  a  short  speech  of  singular  neatness  and 
appropriateness  delighted   us  all.      He  did   two  things. 
He  amplified,  in  his  own  Kafir  way,  the  remarks  of  Mr. 
Brownlee,  and  so  far  as  they  affected  his  own  mind  pressed 
them  home  on  the  serious  consideration  of  his  countrymen. 
He  further  demanded,  from  the  chiefs,  the  sods  of  Tj^ali, 
and  their  people,  an  answer  worthy  of  the  blessing.     I 
could  not  help  noticing  in  the  speech  of  my  old  father — as 
I  have  done  twice  before,  although  I  have  never  mentioned 
it — the  singular  affection  he  cherished  for  Mr.  Brownlee, 
in  token  of  his  genuine  gratitude,  and  his  high  appreciation 
of  the  services  which  he  rendered  to  the  Kafir  nation, 
especially  during  the  cattle  killing.     '  Deliberate  well  and 
answer  becomingly,'  said  my  old  father ;. '  Deliberate  well 
and  answer  becomingly,  ye  men  of  the  great  place !    Return 
thanks  to  the  chief,  Brownlee,  for  bringing  you  a  teacher. 
Utter  a  word  which  will  affect  us  all.' 

"  After  a  lengthy  pause,  Oba  requested  his  brother  who 
was  sitting  with  us  to  draw  near  to  him  that  they  might 
confer  together.     Their  conference  was  long.     The  Kafirs 


294  TIYO   SOGA. 

are  not  hasty  in  their  deliberations,  and  at  their  own 
meetings  it  is  vain  to  be  impatient  and  restless.  You 
must  wait  their  time,  or  you  spoil  the  whole  thing.  I  am 
certainly  no  admirer  of  this  feature  of  character  in  my 
countrymen.  But  you  must  take  them  in  their  own  way, 
or  you  will  fail  in  your  dealings  with  them.  Patience  and 
self-command  are  the  first  requisites  of  success  in  treating 
with  them.  When  the  conference  ended,  it  was  evident 
Irom  the  reply  of  Oba,  that  he  wished  to  take  advantage 
of  the  present  meeting  as  a  fitting  opportunity  to  settle 
some  political  differences  between  the  Government  and 
himself.  He  wished  to  have  all  his  people  concentrated, 
and  have  free  scope  to  select  a  suitable  spot  for  himself, 
and  another  for  the  mission  station.  Mr.  Brownlee 
pointed  out  to  the  chief  that  the  political  advantage  which 
he  sought  for  himself  and  tribe  was  not  the  object  of  this 
day's  meeting,  and  that  his  proposals  were  not  likely  to 
be  sanctioned  by  Government.  The  chief  saw  his  mistake 
and  quickly  acknowledged  the  difference  betwixt  political 
measures,  and  bringing  the  gospel  to  his  people.  He  then 
concluded  by  saying :  '  You  have  brought  a  teacher  to  the 
sons  of  Tyali.  It  is  well.  Their  respective  fathers  treated 
each  other  well.  Tyali  and  Chalmers  lie  in  the  same  land ; 
it  is  well  that  the  son  of  the  teacher  should  take  the  place 
of  his  father.  Chalmers  and  Tyali  lived  near  each  other ; 
they  cultivated  gardens  on  the  same  plain;  they  worshipped 
in  the  same  church.  It  is  well  that  it  should  now  be  so 
with  their  sons.  My  only  regret  is,  that  the  sons  of  Tyali 
are  far  from  him.  We  give  him  therefore  to  the  special 
charge  of  four  councillors,  who  are  nearer  to  him  than  we 
are,  to  Kaka,  the  son  of  Gcaza ;  to  Gcweka,  the  son  of 
Potwana ;  to  Sonku  the  son  of  Maziza ;  and  to  Bulani  the 
son  of  Mabombo.' 


GLIMPSES   OF  SUNSHINE.  295 

"  Several  speeches  followed.  The  Thomas  River  Mission 
Station  was  founded,  and  in  a  way  that  leaves  no  room  to 
doubt  that  the  Lord  has  marked  the  place  to  set  His  name 
there.  It  forms  another  centre  of  light,  in  the  night  of 
surrounding  heathen  darkness.  Again  the  favourite  words 
stand  true :  '  The  people  which  sat  in  darkness  saw  great 
light ;  and  to  them  which  sat  in  the  region  and  shadow  of 
death  light  is  sprung  up.'  In  this  way  the  Lord  is  showing 
mercy  to  this  land,  so  that  '  Ethiopia  may  soon  stretch  out 
her  hands  unto  God.' " 

During  the  first  anxious  weeks  and  months  when  the 
fallow  ground  was  being  broken  up  at  this  station,  when 
discouragements  poured  in  from  every  quarter,  and  many 
privations  were  endured,  the  missionary  was  suddenly 
made  shelterless  from  the  long  continued  floods,  and  shut 
off  from  all  communication  with  the  outer  world,  so  that 
neither  huts  for  dwelling  nor  for  worship  could  be  built. 
Tiyo  Soga  rendered  his  brother  workman  such  cheerful, 
valuable  assistance  as  his  time  and  circumstances  permitted. 
On  8th  July  of  that  year  Tiyo  writes  to  his  brother :  "  I 
am  glad  to  find  that  things  are  likel}^  to  go  on  much  better 
than  our  Brother  Govan  fears.  Brownlee  will  never  dis- 
courage, even  were  it  coming  to  the  worst.  He  is  the 
only  man  among  all  our  friends  who  never  uttered  one 
discouraging  word  to  me,  amid  all  the  struggles  from 
which,  thank  God,  I  am  now  free.  When  I  was  most  cast 
down,  Brownlee  always  encouraged  me  with  his  wise  and 
cheerful  counsel.  You  will  find  this  true.  But  you  will 
also  very  soon  find,  as  I  did,  that  you  must  be  independent 
of  all  men,  and  your  principal  dependence  must  rest  on 
yourself  After  a  short  experience  of  men,  I  resolve  to  do 
my  best,  and  trust  in  God.  I  can  do  no  more,  and  have 
the  satisfaction  to  know  that,  whilst  leaning  on  God,  I 


296  TIYO   SOGA. 

have  acted  up  to  the  measure  of  my  ability.  May  He  be 
your  nearest  friend  and  counsellor.  Be  not  over  anxious. 
There  is  a  great  deal  in  anxiety  which  wears  out  a  man." 
In  the  month  of  April  of  the  same  year,  a  man  whose 
name  is  known  throughout  Christendom,  and  who  had 
just  then  retired  from  his  scene  of  active  labours  in  India, 
oppressed  with  the  honours  and  plaudits  heaped  upon 
him  by  his  fellow-men,  visited  the  Presbyterian  missions 
in  South  Africa,  leaving  behind  him,  as  he  passed  onwards, 
all  the  refreshing  influences  of  a  reviving  shower  of  rain. 
Tiyo  Soga  and  this  renowned  and  bronzed  veteran  have, 
each  unknown  to  the  other,  photographed  the  occasion  of 
his  visit  to  the  Mgwali.  Let  us  look  at  each  picture 
from  each  man's  individual  standpoint.  The  one  was  a 
master-worker,  and  perfected  in  his  task  by  long  experi- 
ence. The  other  was  still  unknown,  yet  eager  to  gather 
knowledge,  so  as  to  perform  his  work  with  acceptance 
and  credit.  On  8th  April,  1864,  Tiyo  Soga  writes : — "  In 
the  annals  of  this  station  the  last  three  days  are  not  soon 
to  be  forgotten.  On  the  evening  of  the  6th,  arrived  the 
<rood  and  honoured  Dr.  Duff,  of  Calcutta.  Mr.  Chalmers 
had  gone  down  on  the  previous  day  to  King  William's 
Town  to  meet  and  bring  him  hither.  Unfortunately  I 
could  not  go,  as  my  throat  had  threatened  to  trouble  me  as 
formerly,  and  I  was  afraid  to  hazard  a  long  ride.  I  shall 
not  readily  forget  the  shake  of  the  good  doctor's  hand 
on  alighting  from  his  mule  waggon.  Interest,  sympathy, 
and  Christian  brotherly  love  were  in  that  shake.  In  a 
feeble  state  of  health,  though  somewhat  improved  since 
landing,  he  was  glad  to  get  quit  of  the  waggon  for  the 
day.  At  night  he  rested  well,  and  was  refreshed.  Next 
day  he  examined  all  my  schools ;  and  as  the  children 
made  a    very   good   appearance,   the   doctor   was   much 


GLIMPSES  OF  SUNSHINE.  297 

pleased.  Afterwards  the  church  was  well  filled  with  a 
respectable  audience  of  our  people,  who  greatly  rejoiced 
at  the  opportunity  of  seeing  this  honoured  servant  of 
Christ.  Mr.  Brownlee,  who  occupied  the  chair,  introduced 
the  doctor,  by  referring  to  the  interesting  facts,  tliat  in 
the  old  man  before  us,  we  saw  one  who  had  literally  spent 
his  life  in  the  Master's  service,  and  one  moreover,  and 
though  now  before  us,  it  was  probable  we  would  never 
see  again  on  earth.  The  doctor  entranced  us  all  by 
an  address  of  two  hours'  length,  most  ably  interpreted 
into  Kafir  by  the  Rev.  B.  Ross,  of  Pirie,  who  accompanied 
the  doctor.  That  address  gave  us  an  idea  of  India  in  its 
heathenism,  which  surpassed  anything  I  had  ever  heard 
or  read.     To  our  people  it  was  like  a  vision. 

"On  leaving  us,  I  drove  with  him  in  his  waggon  to 
Tembani,  where  I  parted  from  him  with  a  very  sad  heart. 
May  the  mantle  of  that  great  prophet  of  the  Lord  fall 
upon  us.  What  a  man !  What  a  missionary  !  What  a 
Christian !  Dr.  Duff's  visit  to  this  country  has  formed 
an  era  in  the  history  of  the  missions  of  the  Free  Church 
and  our  own.  Neither  by  the  Free  Church  brethren,  nor 
by  Mr.  Chalmers,  myself,  and  my  people,  shall  that  visit 
fade  from  our  recollection  so  long  as  our  memories  last. 
On  missionaries  who  have  met  with  that  fjreat  and  ofood 
servant  of  Christ,  who  have  conversed  with  him,  and 
who  have  knelt  together  in  prayer  with  him,  he  has 
left  an  impression  which  has  deepened  the  sacredness  and 
responsibility  of  their  calling  as  ambassadors  for  Christ 
to  benighted  men.  For  the  good  work's  sake,  one  could 
almost  wish  that  such  men  would  live  for  ever.  To 
younger  missionaries,  with  our  mistakes  in  our  work, 
our  lack  of  experience,  our  trials,  our  discouragements, 
his  words  of  counsel  given  in  true  Christian  sympathy 


298  TIYO  SOGA. 

have  been  worth  a  thousand  benedictions  from  other  men. 
He  has  emphatically  done  good  to  our  hearts,  and  good 
to  our  work.  I  know  of  no  man  visiting  these  regions 
who  has  left  so  sweet  a  savour,  and  whose  memory  is 
cherished  by  all  good  men  with  so  much  love,  veneration, 
and  admiration,  as  the  great  Indian  missionary.  In  one 
sense,  Dr.  Duff  is  the  great  missionary  of  no  one  particular 
church.  He  is  the  great  missionary  of  the  Church  uni- 
versal. All  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  united  to  do  him 
honour.  May  God  spare  him  a  little  longer  to  his  Church, 
and  to  the  cause  of  missions !  I  had  many  refreshing 
conversations  with  him,  and  was  very  much  struck  with 
one  remark  he  made.  He  said  that  he  loved  solitude. 
He  could  live  for  weeks  alone,  and  even  go  to  the  wilder- 
ness, that  he  might  be  away  from  men.  He  assigned  no 
reason ;  but  who  that  has  met  with  him  as  I  have  done, 
can  fail  to  comprehend  the  secret." 

Turn  to  the  picture  of  Dr.  Duff,  who  writes  on  15th 
August,  1864:  "  Having,  in  the  course  of  my  journeyings 
through  South  Africa,  purposely  turned  aside  to  visit  the 
Kaffrarian  missions  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  I 
deem  it  at  once  a  duty,  and  a  privilege,  to  bear  emphatic 
testimony  in  their  favour. 

"  The  difficulties  and  obstacles  in  the  way  of  success- 
fully conducting  such  a  mission  are  of  a  totally  different 
kind  from  those  "which  we  have  to  encounter  in  India. 
Nevertheless,  they  are  in  the  aggregate  of  a  very  formidable 
description;  and  the  men  who  have  to  face  them  have 
very  special  claims  on  the  sympathies  and  prayers  of 
God's  people. 

"  For  the  last  thirty-five  years  I  have  regarded  it  as 
merely  a  truism,  that  while  the  Gospel  must  be  introduced 
into  a  heathen  land  by  foreign  agents,  it  is  by  native 


GLIMPSES  OF  SUNSHINE.  299 

agents  that  it  must  be  'propagated,  so  as  to  reach  and 
pervade  the  masses  of  the  people.  In  order  to  insure  a 
race  of  qualified  native  agents,  common-sense  and  experi- 
ence dictate  that  substantially  the  same  means  must  be 
employed  which  are  found  necessary  in  raising  up  teachers, 
preachers,  and  ordained  ministers  in  Christian  lands.  Now, 
it  so  happens,  in  the  good  providence  of  God,  thai  to  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church  belongs  the  honour  of  having 
in  its  service  the  first  native  Kafir,  who  has  ever  been 
ordained  to  the  ministry  of  the  Gospel,  in  the  person  of 
the  Rev.  Tiyo  Soga.  It  was,  therefore,  with  me  a  matter 
of  intense  desire  to  visit  the  station  of  this  native  minister, 
and  confer  with  him  face  to  face.  And  this  desire  was,  if 
possible,  still  further  intensified  by  the  consideration  that, 
in  the  training  of  this  truly  excellent  man,  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church  and  the  Free  Church — as  if  in  antici- 
pation of  a  future  blessed  union — had  actually  contributed 
each  its  due  share.  The  early  education,  which  fitted  him 
for  receiving  the  higher  theological  training  in  Scotland, 
was  obtained  in  the  Lovedale  Seminary  of  the  Free 
Church  in  British  KafFraria. 

"  Never  can  I  forget  the  joy  which  thrilled  through  my 
soul,  on  first  meeting  with  the  first  native  Kafir  ordained 
minister  of  the  everlasting  Gospel,  in  his  own  comfortable 
manse,  close  to  a  spacious  and  well  fitted  up  church,  and 
surrounded  by  Kafir  kraals,  partly  Christian  and  partly 
heathen.  It  was,  altogether,  a  spectacle  which  I  felt  it 
was  worth  while  travelling  all  the  way  from  Cape  Town 
to  witness. 

"  The  pleasure  was  enhanced  when,  on  the  following 
day,  I  found  a  goodly  number  of  the  native  Christians, 
male  and  female,  assembled  in  the  church  in  decent  attire, 
and  manifesting  all  the  decorum  and  propriety  of  an  audi- 


300  TIYO   SOGA. 

ence  in  the  long  christianized  British  Isles.  On  the  same 
occasion  were  assembled  the  boys  of  two  schools,  and  the 
pupils  of  the  central  girls'  school.  All  of  these  were 
examined  in  the  subjects  of  their  respective  studies,  and 
showed  that  the  foundations  of  a  good  elementary  educa- 
tion were  laid.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  means  will  be 
found  for  raising  the  more  capable,  or  select  few,  to  a 
higher  standard. 

"  After  this  examination  I  was  asked  to  address  the 
adult  audience,  which  I  did  at  some  length.  If  the 
members  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church  at  home 
could  only  witness  with  their  own  eyes,  and  hear  with 
their  own  ears,  what  I  was  privileged  to  witness  and  hear 
on  that  day,  I  am  confident  they  would  feel  that,  had 
they  spent  ten  times  the  amount  of  pecuniary  means  on 
that  mission  which  they  have  done,  they  would  have  been 
more  than  amply  recompensed.  I  am  bound  to  add,  that 
throughout  the  whole  of  South  Africa  I  found  no  mission 
station  conducted  in  a  more  orderly,  vigorous,  systematic 
way,  than  that  of  my  admirable  friend  and  brother,  the 
Rev.  Tiyo  Soga,  the  native  Kafir  ordained  minister  of  the 
Umgwali." 

The  year  18G4  witnessed  the  extinction  of  the  debt  on 
the  Mgwali  church,  but  mainly  as  a  generous  act  of  Chris- 
tian friends  in  Scotland  —  the  subscription  list  being 
headed  by  the  late  J.  H.  Young,  Esq.,  of  Glasgow.  The 
gratitude  expressed  by  Tiyo  Soga  for  this  unexpected 
kindness  was  unbounded. 

In  the  same  year  the  people  of  the  station  built  a 
commodious  school  house.  The  experience,  gathered  from 
the  past,  brought  wisdom  to  bear  upon  the  erection  of  this 
building.  To  add  to  its  durability  a  verandah  was  made 
on  the  exposed  sides,  to  shield  the  walls  from  the  pelting 


GLIMPSES   OF   SUNSHINE.  301 

rains,  which  had  wrought  such  speedy  destruction  upon 
the  houses  which  were  built  at  the  establishment  of 
the  station.  Although  there  was  scarcely  a  person  upon 
the  station  who  did  not  put  forth  a  hand  to  assist  in  the 
building,  and  although  it  was  entirely  the  work  of  native 
skill  and  labour,  still  the  erection  of  it  cost  the  missionary 
no  small  amount  of  trouble  as  "director-general,"  in  urging 
the  people  to  be  prompt  and  active  in  their  exertions.  It 
is  not  a  breach  of  reposed  trust  now  to  state  that,  rather 
than  see  the  undertaking  prove  a  failure,  and  be  further 
indebted  to  the  Mission  Board  and  to  friends  of  the  mission 
in  Scotland,  Tiyo  Soga  exercised  great  self-denial,  to  con- 
tribute out  of  his  own  small  salary  towards  that  school 
house,  which  was  valued  at  £90  sterling ! 

It  cheered  the  tender-hearted  Tiyo,  in  the  same  year,  to 
welcome  the  return  of  his  little  son,  John  Henderson, 
"  well,  and  walking  better  than  when  he  left." 
^  The  year  1864  brought  an  accession  to  the  missionary 
staff  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  in  the  Rev.  John 
Sclater,  now  of  Manchester,  who  came  to  the  Mgwali  to 
benefit  Kafirland,  co-operate  for  a  time  with  Tiyo  Soga, 
gather  missionary  experience,  and  then  pass  to  his  home- 
sphere  of  labour.  "  Oh  !  what  a  difference  it  makes 
now,"  writes  the  grateful  and  jubilant  missionary,  "  in  our 
spirits,  when  we  meet  as  missionaries  of  the  same  Church. 
Union  is  strength !  God  grant  that  our  threefold  cord 
may  not  be  easily  broken.  This  addition  to  our  staff  has 
very  much  cheered  my  heart,  as  a  good  omen  that  the  tide 
is  turning  in  favour  of  our  Kafir  mission,  which  has  been 
eking  out,  for  many  years,  a  doubtful  existence." 

The  state  of  his  church  also  was  more  promising.  The 
moral  tone  of  the  membership,  which  now  numbered  138, 
was  more  satisfactory.     "  Yet  I  am  obliged  to  confess,"  he 


302  TIYO  SOGA. 

says,  "  that  I  am  not  altogether  pleased  with  the  signs  of 
Christian  vitality  among  our  people.  I  would  wish  to  see 
the  fruits  of  love,  earnestness,  activity,  and  zeal  more 
apparent  among  them.  I  feel  that  their  progress  in 
spiritual  things  is  not  in  proportion  to  the  means  of  grace 
which  they  enjoy,  and  yet  there  are  sufficient  tokens  to 
encourage  me  to  be  steadfast,  immovable,  always  abounding 
in  the  work  of  the  Lord." 

It  is  most  significant  that  all  the  missionaries  of  the 
United  Presbyterian  Church,  in  South  Africa,  met  around 
the  symbols  of  their  holy  brotherhood  at  the  MgwaK,  on 
the  first  Sunday  in  January,  1865,  to  rejoice  with  Tiyo 
Soga  at  the  passing  away  of  dark  clouds,  and  over  that 
sunshine  in  which  his  earnest  soul  was  then  luxuriating. 
Such  is  life ;  such  did  Tiyo  Soga  find  life  to  be ;  such  has 
been  the  experience  of  every  pious  soul.  Yet,  however 
dense  the  cloud;  however  fierce  the  tempest;  however 
dark  the  night ;  beyond  that  darkness  shines  the  sun  in 
its  splendour,  and  warmth,  and  majesty,  and  calmness. 
Beyond  the  oft-repeated  changes  of  season,  it  remains 
unchanged  during  the  whole  circle  of  the  year; — a  fit 
emblem  of  the  Eternal  Light,  which  is  always  the  same, 
although  ofttimes  our  little  lives  are  enveloped  in  midnight 
blackness,  and  there  seems  no  outlook.  It  is  a  blessed 
thought,  that  we  also,  the  sons  of  ignorance,  may,  if  we 
are  faithful  to  the  high  purposes  of  life,  participate 

"  In  the  Eternal  Light 
Through  the  Eternal  Love!" 


CHAPTER     XVII. 


MISSIONARY  EXTENSION. 


*'  The  Universal  Father  has  made  the  Gospel  a  heritage  to  His  family  at 
large ;  and  He  has  entrusted  it  to  us,  as  executors  of  His  will,  for  distribution 
to  the  whole  of  His  children.  When  the  heathen  may  be  careless  about  the 
Divine  gift,  or  even  resent  the  offer  of  it,  their  case  is  just  so  much  the  more 
clamant  for  help." 

Before  the  events,  recorded  in  the  previous  chapter,  took 
place,  the  missionaries  of  the  Free  and  United  Presbyterian 
Churches,  in  Kaffraria,  resolved  to  extend  their  missions. 
Messrs.  Richard  Ross  and  John  A.  Chalmers  were  requested 
to  visit  Kreli,  then  an  exile  beyond  the  Mbashee  River, 
and  to  ascertain  if  there  was  any  prospect  of  establishing 
mission  stations  among  his  people,  the  GaleJca  tribe.  This 
chief  had  forfeited  the  rich  and  fertile  country  which  he 
formerly  owned,  from  the  prominent  part  which  he  had 
taken  in  the  destruction  of  the  Kafir  nation.  The  depu- 
tation became  the  more  influential  by  the  unexpected 
accompauiment  of  Mr.  Brownlee,  the  Gaika  Commissioner, 
and  the  Rev.  Dr.  James  Stewart,  then  on  his  way  home- 
ward from  his  important  mission  to  the  Zambesi. 

At  that  time  the  whole  country  between  the  Kei  and 
the  Mbashee,  which  the  Galekas  formerly  occupied,  was 
a  desolate  dreary  wilderness  without  an  inhabitant ;  the 
grass,  uncropped  by  cattle,  was  most  luxuriant.  On 
the  site  of  Galeka  villages  were  heaps  of  snow-white 
bones  of  cattle,  which  had  been  sacrificed  to  a  false- 
hood.    By  the  wayside,  and  bleached  by  sunshine  and 


S04  TIYO  SOGA. 

rain,  were  the  scattered  fragments  of  men  and  women, 
who  had  died  on  their  way  to  the  Colony  for  food. 
What  a  striking  contrast  was  the  land  beyond  the 
Mbashee,  to  the  oppressive  loneliness  of  the  wilderness 
just  travelled !  The  whole  country  was  dotted  with 
small  villages,  far  as  the  eye  could  see,  tier  above  tier 
of  Kafir  huts  on  every  hill-side,  and  so  placed  as  to  be 
a  sort  of  watch-tower  for  observing  the  approach  of  the 
white  men,  whom  the  Galekas  dreaded  ever  since  Kreli 
had  been  obliged  to  cross  the  river,  with  its  singularly 
serpentine  course.  On  the  night  before  these  travellers 
entered  the  country  occupied  by  Kreli,  they  halted  on 
the  banks  of  the  Mbashee  River.  Spies  repeatedly  and 
stealthily  crossed  to  the  encampment  of  the  jaded  travel- 
lers, to  ascertain  from  the  attendants  the  character  of  the 
imposing  cavalcade,  whose  approach  had  filled  them  with 
alarm.  The  most  striking  feature  of  the  country  bej^ond 
the  river  was  the  density  of  the  population;  every  kloof  and 
knoll  seemed  swarming  with  human  beings.  The  travellers 
found  the  Galekas  as  absorbed  with  pleasure  as  if  no 
calamity  had  befallen  them.  The  heir-apparent  to  the 
Galeka  chieftainship  had  that  year  been  circumcised,  and 
the  whole  tribe  gave  itself  up  to  the  usual  revelry  that 
accompanied  the  important  event.  At  the  chief's  village 
there  was  an  immense  assemblage,  to  witness  the  dancing 
of  the  young  chief  and  his  100  compeers,  as  his  future 
bodyguard.  For  a  whole  day  the  travellers  were  treated 
to  the  deafening  howl  of  the  women  making  music  for  the 
dancers ;  and  the  music  was  accompanied  b}''  the  vigorous 
application  of  sticks  on  a  dry  ox-hide.  The  chief  himself 
kept  out  of  view,  until  by  stratagem  he  had  discovered 
who  the  visitors  were ;  and  only  when  solemnly  assured 
that  they  had  come  on  a  friendly  errand  did  he  venture  to 


MISSIONARY  EXTENSION.  305 

appear.  After  the  day's  festivities  were  over,  the  deputa- 
tion met  with  Kreli  in  an  unfinished  hut,  and  announced 
the  object  of  their  visit.  He  was  very  grateful  for  having 
been  remembered  by  the  missionaries  in  his  troubles,  and 
stated  that  they  were  the  first  to  visit  him,  as  friends, 
during  his  exile.  He  professed  anxiety  to  have  once  more 
a  missionary  for  his  people ;  but  stated  that  he  knew  of 
no  place  as  a  mission  station,  so  long  as  he  and  his  people 
were  .living  as  outlaws.  If  his  country  was  only  restored, 
he  would  at  once  grant  the  request  of  the  deputation.  The 
chief  had  a  most  pitiful  record  of  grievances,  as  hedged 
in  on  every  side  by  neighbours,  and  some  of  them  most 
formidable  foes ;  and  the  country  where  he  lived  w^as 
overcrowded.  He  looked  wistfully  towards  his  old  home, 
and  longed  for  the  country  where  he  and  his  tribe  had 
brought  such  misery  upon  themselves.  Why,  he  asked, 
could  he  not  be  allowed  to  return  to  the  country  of  his 
forefathers,  which  was  unoccupied  ?  As  he  had  only 
injured  himself  by  believing  a  lie,  why  would  not  the 
British  Government  allow  him  to  live  at  his  former  great 
place  ?  The  old  chief,  conscious  of  his  grave  error, 
appeared  to  be  humbled  and  crushed ;  but  these  political 
questions  the  deputation  were  not  at  liberty  to  discuss,  as 
their  real  purpose  might  be  misinterpreted. 

Whether  a  voluntary  and  gracious  act  in  the  Govern- 
ment, or  owing  to  the  representations  and  intercessions 
made  by  some  who  had  visited  Kreli  in  his  exile,  the 
Galeka  tribe  was  afterwards  permitted  to  re-occupy  a 
portion  of  their  former  territory,  on  a  strip  of  coast  land, 
extending  from  the  Butterworth  River  to  the  Indian 
Ocean.  Ere  the  negotiations  were  completed,  however, 
the  Eastern  Province  of  the  Cape  Colony  was  suddenly 
agitated  by  a  false  alarm  of  war.     It  was  noised  abroad 


806  TIYO   SOGA. 

that  Kreli  had  crossed  the  Mbashee  with  a  large  army, 
and  was  ah-eady  on  his  march  to  destroy  the  colonists. 
Preparations  were  instantly  made  by  the  Colony  to  meet 
the  enemy,  and  many  Europeans,  living  in  Kaffraria, 
were  officially  instructed  to  concentrate  and  prepare  for 
an  attack.  The  Mission  Board  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  had  been  informed  of  the  deputation  to  Kreli, 
and  the  missionaries  were  anxiously  awaiting  reinforce- 
ments from  home,  to  enter  upon  this  new  mission.  Tiyo 
Soga,  fearing  lest  the  false  yet  warlike  rumours  should 
seriousty  injure  the  prospect  of  the  mission,  and  check  the 
increase  of  their  staff  in  Kaffraria,  wrote  to  Dr.  Somerville 
the  following  letter,  which,  when  published  in  an  Edin- 
burgh newspaper,  gave  him  an  unenviable  notoriety,  from 
the  free  criticisms  that  were  passed  upon  his  temerity  in 
insinuating  that  those  who  originated  and  fostered  the 
warlike  tidings  had  some  object  in  doing  so.  It  is  only 
right  to  state  that  Tiyo  Soga  was  moved  by  a  desire  to 
prevent  another  calamity  to  the  Kafir  mission.  The  letter, 
dated  4th  June,  1864,  is  as  follows: — 

"  The  last  mail  from  this  colony  has  conveyed  to  the 
mother  country  the  startling  intelligence  of  another  Kafir 
war.  I  hasten  to  contradict  this  false  alarm.  The  origin 
of  it,  so  far  as  I  understand  it,  is  as  follows :  An  officer 
of  the  mounted  police,  towards  the  end  of  last  month, 
started  post  haste  from  the  police  station  on  the  Mbashee 
to  King  William's  Town,  with  the  intelligence  that  Kreli 
was  moving  against  the  Colony  with  7,000  warriors,  with 
the  object  of  recovering  the  Transkeian  territory,  from 
which  he  had  been  expelled  by  Sir  George  Grey  at  the 
close  of  the  cattle-killing.  This  territory,  it  is  supposed, 
will  be  annexed  to  the  colony. 

"  The  false  alarm  flew  from  British  Kaffraria  to  Cape 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  307 

Town  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  and  it  was  known 
there  long  before  we,  living  among  the  Kafirs,  heard  of  it. 
The  excitement  in  the  Colony  was  great;  troops  were 
ordered  from  Cape  Town  to  the  frontier ;  the  mounted 
police  in  the  Colony  were  moved  to  the  Mbashee,  under 
Sir  Walter  Carrie,  their  commander.  It  soon  appeared, 
however,  that  the  report  was  a  wicked  and  cruel  invention 
against  Kreli  and  the  Colony. 

"  This  police  officer  received  his  information  from  a 
Kafir  policeman,  who  received  his  from  a  man  of  one  of 
Kreli's  kraals.  The  Transkeian  magistrate,  W.  Chalmers, 
Esq.,  sent  messengers  to  Kreli,  to  tell  him  that  such  a 
report  was  abroad  regarding  him.  The  messengers  found 
no  symptoms  of  war  in  the  country.  The  people,  absorbed 
with  their  dances,  were  enjoying  the  abundant  harvest 
which  God  had  given.  The  men,  who  belonged  to  the 
kraa]  implicated,  were  five  in  number.  Kveli  sent  them 
to  the  magistrate,  for  the  arrest  of  him  who  had  reported 
the  invasion  to  the  native  police,  and  to  show  that  he 
knew  nothing  of  war.  When  the  native  policeman  was 
wanted  to  identify  his  informant,  he  was  not  to  be  found, 
and  has  not  since  been  seen  or  heard  of.  This  is  the  end 
of  the  matter.  We  hear  that  Sir  Walter  Currie,  after 
a  conference  with  Kreli,  through  his  councillors,  has 
returned  to  the  Colony,  quite  satisfied  that  Kreli  does  not 
meditate  war. 

"  Of  the  probabilities  of  war  I  would  speak  cautiously 
and  advisedly.  Whilst  deeply  attached  to  my  people,  I  am 
the  loyal  subject  of  the  best  Government  for  the  aborigines 
that  ever  existed  under  heaven.  What  would  I  not  do, 
to  have  all  the  natives  brought,  in  God's  providence,  under 
the  influence  of  the  English  Government,  to  smother  all 
causes  of  irritation  and  heartburnings,  and  to  approve 


308  TIYO   SOGA. 

themselves  the  faithful  subjects  of  the  best  friend  of  all 
men,  Queen  Victoria !  We,  who  have  got  a  little  light, 
see  plainly  that  we  have  nothing  to  gain,  physically, 
mentally,  or  morally,  from  the  perpetuation  of  heathenism. 

"  So  far  as  our  own  Gaika  tribes  are  concerned,  they  are 
so  reduced  in  numbers,  from  recent  national  disasters,  and 
so  utterly  defenceless  that  they  could  not  think  of  fighting 
with  the  certainty  of  utter  ruin  staring  them  in  the  face. 
From  this  quarter,  therefore,  no  danger  needs  at  present  be 
entertained  of  another  aggressive  war.  They  have  lately 
stolen  a  great  deal  from  the  colonial  farmers,  so  much  so, 
that  the  repression  of  cattle-thieving  has  raised  one  of  the 
most  interesting  discussions  in  our  Colonial  Parliament. 
This  general  thieving  is  construed  by  some  into  an  evidence 
that  Kafirs  as  of  yore  are  meditating  mischief;  but  just 
now,  it  is  simply  the  result  of  want,  or  covetousness,  and 
not  of  warlike  purposes.  They  themselves  declare  that 
they  are  so  humbled  that  they  can  only  apprehend  war. 
What  we  require  therefore  at  the  head  of  affairs  in  this 
country  for  the  preservation  of  peace  is  a  wise,  cautious, 
unimpulsive  administration.  Though  little  credit  is  given 
by  some  men  to  the  gospel,  it  is  reducing,  and  has  reduced, 
the  number  of  Kafir  thieves.  I  am  sorry  to  say  that  the 
frequent  cry  is  'Put  down  stealing,'  and  not  'Put  down 
heathenism ' — its  real  parent  and  source. 

"  Kreli  now  lives  beyond  the  Mbashee,  and  is  a  stranger. 
That  country  belongs  to  the  Tambookies,  his  old  enemies. 
He  lives  simply  by  toleration,  and  unless  he  is  thoroughly 
secure  of  their  confidence  in  him,  he  can  attempt  nothing 
against  the  English.  In  truth  he  has  repeatedly  applied, 
but  hitherto  without  success,  to  be  recoffnised  as  a  British 
subject,  and  to  have  a  magistrate  appointed  to  reside  with 
him.     He   is   considered  an  irreconcilable   enemy.     The 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  309 

only  thing  that  can  involve  us  in  war  with  him,  will  be  an 
attempt  to  apprehend  him,  or  to  expel  him  by  force  from 
his  present  location.  The  Gaikas  are  bound  to  Kreli  by 
the  tie  that  he  is  their  paramount  chief,  the  head  of  the 
Kafir  tribes,  and  they  would  make  common  cause  with  him. 

"  The  most  deplorable  feature  of  our  affairs,  which  I 
have  long  observed,  is  the  tone  of  the  public  press  in 
British  Kafii-aria,  on  native  questions.  It  keeps  up  in  the 
country  a  constant  state  of  unfriendly  feeling.  The  most 
groundless  fiction  is  seized  upon  and  proclaimed  as  an 
event '  ominous '  and  the  '  shadow  of  coming  events.'  It 
is  easy  to  see  through  this  thin  disguise.  There  are 
interested  parties  who  like  this  kind  of  thing,  and  would 
not  regret  a  rupture.  It  is  exceedingly  unfair.  Warriors 
of  noble  spirit  disdain  to  strike  a  foe  without  weapons. 
Unfortunately  for  themselves,  the  natives  are  in  this 
plight ;  it  is  beneath  the  dignity  of  civilized  men  to  be 
the  formidable  enemy  of  naked  barbarians,  who  cannot 
write  and  reason  like  themselves." 

Whilst  the  missionaries  of  the  two  Presbyterian  Churches 
were  contemplating  the  extension  of  their  respective 
missions,  they  had  no  conception  of  the  pending  political 
changes,  which  would  conduce  to  the  enlargement  of 
their  spheres  of  labour.  Early  in  1865,  in  answer  to  his 
oft-repeated  applications,  Kreli  received  instructions  from 
the  High  Commissioner,  Sir  Philip  Wodehouse,  to  cross 
the  Mbashee,  and  take  up  his  abode  on  a  portion  of  his 
former  territory,  which  had  eight  years  previously  come 
into  the  possession  of  the  English  Government.  The 
remaining  portion  of  his  country,  bounded  on  the  east 
by  the  Butterworth  Road,  and  on  the  west  by  the  Indwe 
River,  after  having  been  offered  to,  and  refused  by,  the 
Gaikas  and  Tambookies,  was  given  to  the  Fingoes,  resident 


310  TIYO  SOGA. 

in  the  Colony  and  British  Kaffraria.  With  remarkable 
shrewdness  this  people  accepted  the  gift,  and  whilst  taking 
immediate  possession  of  the  territory,  they  retained  their 
connection  with  the  Colony  by  making  only  a  partial 
exodus  to  the  country,  now  known  as  Fingoland.  They 
were  wise  in  their  generation.  They  became  better  off 
than  before,  had  more  elbow-room  to  increase  as  a  people, 
which  they  had  no  opportunity  of  doing,  "  cribbed,  cabined, 
and  confined,"  as  they  were  in  the  Colony. 

The  chief  Kreli  was  no  sooner  located  with  his  people 
in  a  portion  of  his  former  country  than,  true  to  his  promise, 
he  sent  repeated  messages  to  Mr.  Charles  Brownlee, 
expressing  the  wish  that  a  missionary  should  be  sent  to 
labour  among  his  people,  and  stating  his  preference  for  a 
missionary  from  the  denomination,  whose  representatives 
had  visited  him  in  his  exile.  This  fact  the  Gaika  Com- 
missioner communicated  to  the  missionaries  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church,  and  urged  them  to  take  immediate 
action  by  visiting  Kreli,  and  ascertaining  the  nature  of  his 
wishes.  These  missionaries  at  once  conferred  with  their 
Free  Church  brethren,  and  the  result  was,  that  a  second 
deputation,  in  which  Mr.  Bryce  Ross  represented  the  Free 
Church,  and  Tiyo  Soga  represented  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  missionaries,  visited  Kreli,  in  July,  1865.  The 
deputation  was  cordially  received,  and  the  chief  expressed 
his  willingness  to  receive  one  missionary  at  once ;  but  as 
a  missionary  was  a  great  responsibility  he  could  not  see 
his  way  to  accept  two  at  present,  as  his  country  was  small, 
and  his  tribe  not  yet  concentrated.  By  mutual  agreement 
theUnited  Presbyterians  had  the  first  choice  in  establishing 
a  mission  among  the  Gale]j:as,  inasmuch  as  Kreli's  message 
was  sent  to  them — the  Free  Church  brethren  agreeing  to 
follow  when  circumstances  permitted. 


MISSIONAKY   EXTENSION.  311 

The  exodus  of  the  Fingoes  also  opened  up  a  new  field 
for  missionary  extension.  Of  the  people  who  had  gone 
across  to  their  territory,  there  was  a  large  number  among 
whom  these  two  denominations  had  laboured.  From  the 
Mgwali  district  alone,  the  Fingoe  section  of  Tiyo  Soga's 
church  hived  off  to  form  no  inconsiderable  nucleus  of  a 
United  Presbyterian  Mission  in  Fingoland.  Five  of  the 
Fingoe  chiefs  with  their  people  crossed.  Among  these 
Tiyo  Soga  had  itinerated  and  gathered  fruit,  and  preached 
the  gospel  faithfully  for  years.  This  deputation,  therefore, 
on  their  return  from  Kreli,  visited  Fingoland,  and  made 
arrangements  for  the  establishment  of  mission  stations, 
among  their  former  people.  Centres  were  at  once  fixed 
upon,  and  so  as  not  to  encroach  upon  the  fields  of  other 
denominations,  they  treated  with  only  such  head-men, 
and  people,  as  had  formerly  been  under  their  teaching. 
The  district  of  the  Toleni  was  selected  by  the  Free  Church, 
as  containing  the  largest  number  of  their  membership,  and 
that  of  the  Mbulu,  by  the  United  Presbyterians.  The 
Free  Church  generously  gave  to  the  United  Presbyterian 
Mission,  a  Fingoe  clan  with  some  excellent  Christian  con- 
verts, who  had  located  themselves  near  the  Mbulu  River, 
which  is  now  called  Pater  son.  The  mission  stations  in 
Fingoland,  with  such  materials,  may  be  said  to  have  been 
fairly  established  long  before  any  missionary  was  perma- 
nently located  among  them.  He  had  mainly  to  carry  on 
what  had  been  successfully  begun  by  others,  whilst  these 
people  were  residing  in  the  Colony. 

The  two  denominations  resolved  to  work  the  two 
missions  unitedly,  and  on  a  plan  mutually  arranged  for 
the  visitation  of  these  fields,  until  reinforcements  arrived, 
for  which  application  had  been  made  to  the  home  churches. 
Meanwhile,  two  missionaries,  one  from  each  denomination, 


312  TIYO   SOGA. 

were  appointed  to  supply  the  Transkeian  fields  with  the 
means  of  ^race. 

When  the  application  of  the  United  Presbji^erians,  for 
an  increase  in  their  staff  to  occupy  the  new  fields,  was 
favourably  entertained  by  the  Mission  Board,  Tiyo  Soga 
wrote  to  Dr.  Somerville  a  letter  containing  some  sugges- 
tions for  the  guidance  of  the  new-comers ;  and  although 
some  of  tlie  statements  contained  in  it  seem  somewhat 
arbitrary,  and  such  as  many  men  in  the  mission  field 
might  decline  to  endorse,  it  is  most  valuable  as  expressing 
his  oion  view  of  the  connection  that  ought  to  subsist 
betwixt  the  Mission  Board  and  its  agents.  On  14th 
December,  1865,  he  says :  "  In  the  prospect  of  other 
brethren  coming  to  labour  with  us  in  Kaffraria,  it  has 
come  into  my  mind  to  furnish  a  few  hints,  which  you 
may  possibly  use  in  your  instructions  to  them.  These 
hints  are  the  result  of  my  observation,  both  in  the  Colony 
and  in  Kaffraria. 

"  Prepare  the  new  missionaries  to  beware  of  the  hostile 
influence  of  many  in  the  Colony  against  missionary  work. 
They  will  meet  with  some  persons  who  will  bid  them 
*  God  speed,'  as  in  the  mother  country .  Others,  good 
people  too  in  their  own  way,  will  shake  their  heads 
knowingly,  and  tell  them  it  is  all  romance;  that  the 
charm  will  wear  off  when  they  come  to  know  what  peo]^le 
they  have  now  to  deal  with  ;  and  that  it  is  no  use  teaching 
these  natives,  who  are  ungrateful  and  wicked,  &c.  Some 
may  even  go  the  length  of  declaring  that  they  do  not 
believe  there  is  one  converted  native  at  all ;  that  the  '  bray 
of  Exeter  Hall,'  as  it  is  called  by  many  here,  about  the 
wrongs  of  the  natives,  and  such  like,  is  sheer  nonsense, 
and  tends  still  more  to  alienate  the  colonists  from  the 
aborigines.     They  are  likely  to  hear  all  these  things,  and 


MISSIONAKY   EXTENSION.  313 

much  more.  Some  colonial  ministers,  as  slaves  to  their 
congregations,  may  also  echo  these  sentiments ;  nay,  some 
missionaries  are  even  tinged  with  it.  I  was  shocked  the 
other  day,  by  what  I  heard  from  a  lady  in  the  Colony, 
about  a  missionary  who  had  been  visiting  where  she 
lived.  She  said  that  Mr.  So-and-so  had  been  making 
sport  of  the  enthusiasm  of  a  missionary's  wife,  who  had 
lately  arrived  from  England  with  her  husband.  She  had 
grasped  the  missionary  warmly  by  the  hand  in  salutation, 
and  expressed  her  joy  at  meeting  one  already  engaged  in 
a  work  to  which  she  was  looking  forward.  The  cold- 
hearted  missionary,  who  pandered  to  colonial  prejudices, 
made  a  jest  of  feelings  so  natural  and  becoming  in  one 
entering  upon  such  work.  The  brethren  must  be  told, 
that  the  true  reasons  of  this  opposition  will  not  be 
honestly  told  by  those  who  manifest  it.  They  do  not 
like  the  elevation  of  the  natives,  whom  they  would  fain 
keep  down  as  men  and  maid-servants,  and  do  little  for 
them.  It  reflects  upon  their  Christianity.  They  cannot, 
therefore,  bear  to  see  any  one  doing  anything  for  the 
natives.  Provided  they  cannot  rise  upon  their  ruin,  they 
would  let  them  '  go  to  the  wall.' 

"  I  think  also  that  the  obligation  of  new  missionaries  to 
the  Church,  which  sends  them  to  do  her  work  in  heathen 
lands,  should  be  more  solemn,  and  the  connection  more 
binding.  Many  colonists  hold  out  tempting  baits  to  mis- 
sionaries, by  flattering  the  talented,  and  declaring  that  they 
are  simply  thrown  away  among  barbarians,  who  cannot 
appreciate  their  talents.  Yet  the  position  of  colonial  min- 
isters is  anything  but  a  bed  of  roses — there  being  perhaps 

no  profession  held  in  less  esteem  in  this  colony 

Let  the  brethren  come  with  exalted  convictions  of  their 
dedication,  as  the  ambassadors  of  Christ  to  the  Gentiles. 


314  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  They  must  come  with  their  minds  thoroughly  pre- 
pared to  see  heathen  degradation,  in  all  its  forms  and 
varieties — the  reality  being  often  worse  than  the  concep- 
tion, as  formed  by  the  future  missionary  at  a  distance. 
They  must  come  prepared  for  discouragements  in  the  work 
itself.  No  splendid  gifts  of  argument,  or  eloquence,  will 
convert  a  single  soul,  without  the  blessing  of  God,  the 
Spirit.  They  come  to  break  up  hard  ground ;  to  enter 
and  even  sleep  in  uninviting  Kafir  huts.  Men  who 
are  not  prepared  to  meet  bravely  all  such  difficulties, 
should  not  be  missionaries.  Nevertheless,  to  the  true 
servant  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  sky  which  overhangs  the 
missionary  field  is  not  all  darkness  and  gloom,  but  is  often 
relieved  with  glimpses  of  glorious  sunshine.  The  trials  to 
be  endured  should  only  animate  him  to  gird  on  his  armour, 
in  the  noble  enterprise  of  bringing  souls  to  glory. 

"  The  brethren  must  be  prepared  to  identify  themselves 
with  the  people,  on  whose  behalf  they  leave  home  and 
kindred.  The  knot  of  the  Kafir's  prejudices  and  habits  is 
not  to  be  rudely  cut,  by  the  uncompromising  knife  of 
civilized  tastes.  It  must  be  patiently  and  cautiously 
untied.  The  smile  of  kindness,  and  a  sood  word  to  all,  sfo 
direct  to  the  heart  of  a  barbarian.  As  a  race,  the  Kafirs 
prefer  to  be  drawn,  rather  than  driven.  At  the  same 
time,  the  student  of  human  nature  can  reap  a  splendid 
harvest  in  the  study  of  their  history,  prejudices,  habits,  and 
customs.  In  the  midst  of  much  that  he  cannot  sympathise 
with,  he  will  find  much  to  show  that  there  is  some  good 
in  all  men ;  that  God  is  the  common  Father  of  all,  and 
therefore  that  no  race  should  be  despised. 

"  The  missionary  to  Kreli  will  have  most  difficulties. 
He  must  be  a  man  of  prudence,  good  judgment,  and  tact. 
Kreli  looks  upon  the  missionary  as  a  political  agent,  who 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  315 

may  influence  the  Government  of  his  country  for  good  or 
evil.  We  took  pains,  in  our  late  visit,  to  define  the  true 
position  of  a  Gospel  missionary.  He  has  preferred  the 
Presbyterians,  because  he  thinks  that  the  other  denomi- 
nations, Tvdth  whom  he  formerly  associated,  were  not  so 
good  friends  during  his  exile,  and  that  the  Presbyterian 
missionaries  have  done  much  ^ood  amon^  the  Gaikas. 
Kreli  is  exceedingly  jealous  of  his  power,  and  of  his 
country.  The  missionary  must  support  this  authority  in 
all  lawful  things,  and  recognise  it  among  his  future  converts 
in  secular  matters.  In  this  respect,  there  must  be  no 
separate  authority  on  the  station.  Naturally  he  is  a  just 
man,  and  even  if  he  were  not,  the  British  agent  would 
prevent  any  injustice  being  perpetrated.  The  above  I 
have  written  upon  the  principle,  that  to  be  forewarned  is 
to  be  forearmed." 

Tiyo  Soga  has  minutely  detailed  the  part,  which  he  took 
in  arranging  for  the  visitation  of  the  new  fields  of  labour, 
in  a  letter  to  Dr.  Somerville  in  1866  :  "I  have  taken  my 
turn,"  he  writes,  "  to  visit  the  regions  beyond  the  Kei,  in 
company  with  the  Rev.  Richard  Ross  of  the  Free  Church. 
When  we,  and  the  dear  brethren  of  the  Free  Church 
resolved,  a  little  more  than  a  year  ago,  to  follow  our  people 
beyond  the  Kei,  who  had  been  torn  from  our  mission  by 
the  Fingoe  exodus,  we  mutually  agreed  to  maintain  mis- 
sionary operations  in  those  regions  by  quarterly  itinera- 
tions. As  each  quarter  came  round,  a  United  Presbyterian 
brother  went  with  one  of  the  Free  Church  brethren.  This 
has  been  done  up  to  the  present  moment;  and  is  to  be 
done  until  the  Transkeian  territory,  comprehending  the 
Fingoe  and  Kreli  territories,  are  occupied  by  the  mission- 
aries from  our  respective  churches  in  Scotland,  for  whom 
we  are  greatly  longing. 


316  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  The  Transkeian  territory,  with  which  we  have  to  do, 
includes  the  part  lately  granted  to  the  Fingoes  by  the 
English  Government,  and  the  sea-border,  extending  from 
the  Kei  to  the  Mbashee  Rivers,  now  occupied  by  Kreli  and 
his  people.  Both  these  divisions  of  land  once  belonged  to 
him  and  his  ancestors,  and  were  always  in  possession  of 
the  great  Kafir  tribe  of  the  Galekas. 

"  In  addition  to  suppljdng  religious  ordinances  to  our 
respective  native  converts,  and  preaching  the  Gospel 
among  the  heathen  in  those  regions,  we  were  anxious  to 
come  to  a  definite  understanding  with  the  Fingoe  chiefs, 
and  with  Kreli,  about  portions  of  land  which  they  had 
tacitly  promised  for  ecclesiastical  and  educational  pur- 
poses. It  was  our  desire  that  these  chiefs  should  now 
indicate  the  spots,  and  keep  them  in  reserve.  The  limited 
area  of  the  lands  at  the  disposal  of  the  Fingoe  chiefs  has 
prevented  the  missionaries  asking  for  any  land,  beyond 
a  glebe  to  the  missionary  and  the  schoolmaster,  and  sites 
for  missionary  and  educational  buildings.  The  native 
Christians  among  the  Fingoes  are  to  remain  where  they 
have  been  located  by  their  chiefs,  without  being  congre- 
gated in  masses  upon  so-called  mission  lands.  There  can 
be  no  such  institutions,  therefore,  as  mission  stations  in 
the  Transkeian  Fingoe  territory;  and  I  think  that  for  the 
purpose  of  a  wider  diffusion  of  the  blessings  of  the  Gospel, 
this  is  a  better  arrangement  than  what  necessarily  exists 
at  our  mission  stations  among  the  Gaikas. 

"  We  are  uncertain  as  to  what  shall  be  the  conditions 
for  the  tenure  of  land,  by  missionaries  in  Kreli's  country. 
One  thing  is  certain,  that  the  chief  holds  with  a  firm  grasp 
the  iand  which  he  now  possesses.  All  that  he  has  yet 
indicated  is,  that  the  missionaries  are  set  liberty  to  choose 
one  or  other  of  two  places.     The  site  for  a  second  station. 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  317 

which  should  be  in  the  centre  of  his  country,  is  a  matter 
which  the  missionaries  must  yet  unite  their  wits  to  gain 
from  the  chief. 

"  In  the  Fingoe  territory,  the  head-quarters  of  our 
present  missionary  itinerations  are  at  the  Mbulukweza, 
which  is  the  property  of  our  Fingoe  Christians,  formerly 
connected  with  the  Mgwali;  and  whilst  these  converts 
expect  the  future  missionary  to  settle  among  them,  there 
is  no  suitable  spot  for  a  station,  as  the  locality  is  inaccessible 
and  confined.  Adjoining  it,  however,  is  the  Mbulu,  a 
splendid  site  in  every  way.  It  stands  in  an  open  space, 
betwixt  two  streams,  at  the  base  of  well- wooded  moun- 
tains, and  has  an  extensive  southern  aspect.  This  district 
is  owned  by  an  active,  clever,  intelligent  young  Fingoe 
chief  of  the  name  of  'Moni'  'sinner'  a  cognomen,  however,, 
which  is  not  singular  in  his  case.  Moni  is  very  anxious 
to  have  the  new  missionary  located  with  his  people,  which 
would  enhance  his  dignity  and  importance  in  the  estima- 
tion of  the  rival  chiefs  in  the  neighbouring  districts.  His 
district  is  not  only  the  most  central  and  extensive,  but 
also  the  most  populous,  and  has  greater  natural  capabilities 
and  resources,  which  ought  never  to  be  lost  sight  of  in 
selecting  a  mission  station. 

"  The  probable  site  of  the  future  mission  of  the  Free 
Church  is  on  the  Toleni,  where,  and  at  two  other  places, 
a  native  elder  and  Scripture  reader  are  already  at  work. 
The  Free  Church  brethren  have  the  largest  number  of 
native  chiefs. 

"  Our  last  itineration  extended  over  20  days  of  long, 
constant,  and  of  ttimes  wearisome  travelling  on  horseback. 
After  making  all  necessary  preparations  for  our  journey, 
and  storing  Mr.  Boss's  waggon  with  provisions  and 
beddino;  we  followed  on  horseback.     The  night  overtook 


318  TIYO  SOGA. 

US  at  Tyala's  kraal,  one  of  Sandilli's  old  councillors,  who 
lives  not  far  from  the  Kei.  Next  morning,  after  Tyala's 
present  of  a  sheep  by  way  of  hospitality,  we  descended, 
and  crossed  the  difficult  drift  of  the  Kei  at  noon.  After 
ascending  the  rugged  hills  beyond,  we  relieved  our  oxen 
from  the  yoke  and  our  horses  from  the  saddle,  and 
refreshed  ourselves  by  a  rest  and  a  hearty  meal.  After 
an  hour  and  a  half,  we  left  the  waggon,  and  took  a 
circuitous  route  to  the  Mbulukweza,  crossing  the  high 
mountains  between  the  Caba  and  the  Mbulukwem.  The 
Caba  district  is  owned  by  a  Fingoe  chief,  who  belongs  to 
the  Church  of  England  mission.  Some  of  his  people 
belonged  to  our  denomination,  whilst  on  the  colonial  side 
of  the  Kei,  and  have  renewed  their  connection  by  present- 
ing their  certificates  of  membership  to  us,  and  have  joined 
the  church  being  formed  at  the  Mbulu.  When  we  crossed 
the  Caba  stream,  two  women  came  out  of  a  hut,  which 
belonged  to  a  kraal  close  to  the  road.  Their  garments 
were  very  much  the  worse  for  wear.  They  greeted  us 
very  politely.  When  we  inquired  who  they  were,  they 
informed  us  that  they  came  from  the  Blinkwater,  upwards 
of  a  year  ago,  and  were  candidates  for  church  membership, 
in  connection  with  the  London  Missionary  Society  there. 
It  was  truly  charming  to  notice  the  joyful  smile  on  the 
countenance  of  the  younger  woman,  when  we  said  that  we 
would  hold  Divine  service  on  the  following  day,  Sunday, 
at  the  Mbulukweza.  They  said  that  they  had  been  already 
there,  on  other  Sundays,  and  would  be  sure  to  come  to-mor- 
row. Denominational  preferences  exist  even  in  the  mission 
field  !  Our  people  declare  they  would  go  a  long  distance 
to  drink  the  milk  of  the  Word,  from  the  milk  sack  from 
which  they  had  been  accustomed,  and  if  they  could 
not  get  it  from   that,  then   they  would  take  the  milk 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  319 

that  most  closely  resembled  that  of  their  own  cherished 
milk  sack !  This  state  of  things,  I  suppose,  cannot  be 
remedied,  so  long  as  there  are  such  names  in  Christendom 
as  Presbyterians,  Episcopalians,  Independents,  Baptists, 
Wesleyans,  and  Roman  Catholics. 

"  At  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  reached  the  Mbulu- 
kweza,  where  the  greater  part  of  our  late  Mgwali  Christian 
people  are  located.  A  most  affectionate  people  they  are, 
who  would  do  anything  for  their  ministers.  We  sent  a 
messenger  to  invite  Moni's  people,  at  the  next  district, 
to  come  to  church  on  the  following  day;  with  a  request 
that  they  would  act  for  Moni,  who  was  absent,  and  send 
another  messenger  to  Mhle  and  his  people,  at  the  Xolobe, 
also  to  come.  Our  messenger  returned  with  the  somewhat 
rude  reply  from  Moni's  representatives,  that  they  would 
neither  send  a  messenger,  nor  come  to  church ;  that  they 
knew  nothing  about  Sunday,  and  did  not  care  to  be  sent 
hither  and  thither  about  a  thing  which  was  no  business  of 
theirs.  The  emphasis,  with  which  this  stern  refusal  was 
repeated  in  Kafir,  made  us  laugh  with  astonishment.  It 
is  simply  an  act  of  politeness,  if  you  can  get  men  who  care 
nothing  for  the  Gospel  to  do  anything  for  it.  Hence,  as  a 
rule,  we  do  not  calculate  upon  any  help  from  that  source. 
But  we  must  act  our  part,  whether  or  not  they  care  for  us 
or  our  message,  which  makes  its  own  way  afterwards. 
Many  of  those,  who  now  prize  the  Gospel  above  all  things, 
once  scorned  it  as  much  as  Moni's  men  do. 

"  On  the  Lord's  day,  the  voice  of  praise  at  early  dawn 
from  the  huts  of  our  people  near  us  broke  our  slumbers. 
In  the  forenoon,  I  preached ;  and  Mi-.  Ross  in  the  afternoon. 
On  both  occasions,  we  had  an  audience- of  90  persons. 
After  the  services,  we  were  employed  organizing  the 
church,  by  examining  certificates  and  enrolling  the  names 


320  TIYO   SOGA. 

of  members.  These,  with  two  elders,  amounted  to  43 
persons.  There  were  also  five  candidates,  whom  we 
formed  into  a  class,  and  instructed  and  confirmed.  Thus, 
there  is  already  a  church  at  the  Mbulu,  awaiting  the 
superintendence  of  some  man  of  God.  It  is  not  every 
mission  station  that  is  commenced  with  such  a  nucleus,  to 
sustain  the  missionary  by  their  prayers  and  sympathies. 
One  of  the  two  elders  at  this  place  belonged  to  the  London 
Missionary  Society,  and  the  other  to  the  Free  Church,  and 
so  with  some  of  the  church  members.  By  mutual  agreement, 
members  and  candidates,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Tsomo, 
are  transferred  to  the  missions  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church,  whilst  those  to  the  east  are  handed  over  to  the 
Free  Church. 

"  On  Monday,  we  visited  the  districts  of  the  chiefs,  Moni, 
Njikelana,  Tobe,  and  Mkehle.  The  first  two  chiefs  are 
willing  to  give  land  for  ecclesiastical  and  educational 
purposes.  Njikelana's  people,  among  whom  there  are 
13  members,  and  two  candidates,  are  like  our  Mbulukweza 
people,  very  anxious  to  have  schools.  In  both  places  they 
are  willing  at  once  to  supplement  by  £10  a  year  a  school- 
master's salary.  The  people  of  Njikelana  have  been  well 
trained  at  Burnshill  Free  Church  Station.  We  did  nothing 
at  Tobe's,  as  he  was  from  home.  However,  our  relation 
with  him  is  satisfactory,  as  some  of  his  people  are  our 
church  members.  The  chief  Mkehle  is  a  curious  old  fellow, 
from  wlium  we  got  no  satisfaction.  He  was  full  of  the 
unspeakable  importance  of  his  hereditary  chieftainship. 
He  cherished  the  greatest  contempt  for  those  fellows  who 
had  got  their  chieftainship  in  the  ofiices  of  Government. 
*  If  I  get  a  missionary  '  he  said  '  I  must  get  him  to  myself. 
I  could  not  think  of  sharing  him  with  another  chief.  I 
am  the  ea7'th  itself     God  made  me  a  chief  on  the  very 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  321 

first  day  of  creation,  in  the  full  sunshine  of  the  sun,  when 
all  things  were  brought  home  from  their  native  wild  state, 
men  and  animals  such  as  those  horses  on  which  you  are 
mounted.'  The  old  fellow  then  treated  of  the  genealogy 
of  the  most  renowned  Fingoe  chiefs,  from  whom  he  is 
descended,  and  in  this  he  was  assisted  by  his  councillors  or 
attendants  who  declared  that  what  he  said  was  all  true. 
We  were  not  disposed  to  dispute  his  magnificence,  but  we 
assured  him  that  we  could  not  promise  him  an  independent 
missionary.  I  could  not  help  remarking  to  Brother  Ross, 
after  we  left,  that  perhaps  old  Mkehle  did  well  to  intimate 
his  chieftainship  in  such  grandiloquent  terms,  for  unless 
he  had  done  so,  none  of  us  would  have  done  him  the 
honour  of  supposing  him  to  be  a  chief — so  unlike  was  he 
to  one.  As  he  had  just  left  the  frequently  cruel  service 
of  shepherd,  among  our  Colonial  Dutch  Boers,  he  had 
probably  suffered  some  rude  indignities  at  their  hands. 

"  Although  Mhle  could  not  promise  us  a  grant  of  land, 
he  received  us  cordially,  and  promised  us  a  site  for  school 
purposes,  whenever  we  could  send  a  schoolmaster  to  his 
people.  On  our  way  to  this  chief's  district,  before  crossing 
a  difficult  ascent  of  mountains  which  divide  his  country 
from  Moni's,  we  came  upon  a  village  where  we  talked  with 
the  people,  annd  the  frantic  yells  of  pot-bellied  little 
youngsters,  who  dreaded  white  men,  and  others  dressed  in 
white  men's  fashion.  On  enquiring  where  they  had 
resided  before  coming  to  that  district,  a  woman  told  us 
that  they  had  lived  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  Pirie 
Mission  Station  of  the  Free  Church.  'Then,'  said  Mr. 
Ross,  '  you  are  one  of  my  father's  people  ! '  '  Yes,  are  you 
his  son?'  'I  am,' said  Ross, 'and  I  wish  you  to  know 
that  my  flither  has  handed  over  all  his  people  iii  these 
parts  to  this  teacher,  Soga,  and  his  bi-ethren.'     '  Ah,  all 

X 


322  TIYO  SOGA. 

well/  said  the  woman ;  '  but  is  he  likely  to  have  the  thing 
which  Ross  had,  and  which  we  used  to  get  from  him  ? ' 
'  What  may  that  be  ? '  I  next  enquired.  She  put  her  hands 
together,  and  formed  them  into  the  shape  of  a  basin,  and 
then  held  her  basin-hand  forward  and  declared  that  old 
Mr.  Ross,  when  their  vessels  were  empty,  used  to  fill  them 
to  overflowing  with  abundant  rain,  time  after  time  when 
the  land  was  dry.  This  was  very  amusing  to  me.  I  had 
before  heard  that  our  venerable  father  and  friend,  Mr  Ross, 
of  Pirie,  was  reputed  to  be  a  rain  doctor,  by  the  natives  of 
his  district ;  but  here  was  a  confirmation  of  the  fact.  I 
asked  the  woman  whether  the  son,  the  Rev.  Bryce  Ross, 
his  father's  colleague,  also  had  rain  ?  She  knew  nothing  of 
him,  she  said,  but  was  sure  of  the  old  gentleman  at  any 
rate.  '  But  how  did  Mr.  Ross  give  you  rain  ? '  I  enquired. 
She  replied — 'When  in  dry  times  he  used  to  call  us  together, 
and  get  us  in  great  numbers  to  his  house  (church),  and 
then  he  would  pray  till  our  hearts  were  so  nice ;  and  then 
the  rain  would  com©  before  we  were  out  of  the  house.' 
*  Well,'  I  said,  *  I  cannot  compare  myself  to  the  old  gentle- 
man you  speak  of,  but  as  occasion  required,  we  would  pray 
also  to  his  God  who  is  ours  also ;  and  He  would  hear  our 
prayers.'  She  concluded  by  saying  that  she  had  no  doubt 
whatever  but  that  old  Mr.  Ross  was  loved  in  heaven,  for 
he  got  from  it  whatever  he  wanted.  This  incident  shows 
the  influence  of  an  aged  and  laborious  servant  of  God  over 
the  heathen  mind.  So  deeply  rooted  is  the  confidence  of 
Pirie  Fingoes  in  Mr.  Ross's  skill  in  rainmaking  that  they 
have  been  known  in  times  of  drought,  heathen  though  they 
were,  to  go  in  crowds  of  their  own  accord,  to  ask  him  to  pray 
with  them  for  rain.  Should  Mr.  Ross  happen  to  be  from 
home  when  they  arrived,  great  was  their  disappointment. 
They  believed  in  the  power  of  the  prayers  of  no  one  else 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  323 

"  After  two  days'  visitation,  we  proceeded  to  the  district, 
fixed  upon  by  the  Free  Church,  and  having  called  upon 
different  chiefs  we  made  arrangements  with  them  about 
the  locations  of  evangelists  and  schoolmasters,  and  also 
entered  into  treaty  for  a  site  for  the  central  station, 
after  which  we  passed  on  to  Kreli's  country.  It  was  four 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  when  we  alighted  at  the  chiefs 
kraal.  There  are  two  kraals  in  close  proximity.  At  both, 
there  was  a  large  gathering  of  the  attendants  at  court. 
The  chief  could  not  be  seen,  as  he  was  said  to  be  from 
home ;  but  he  would  return  before  the  next  day.  As  we 
could  not  approach  the  chief's  village  with  our  oxen  for 
fear  of  the  lung  sickness  infecting  the  chief's  cattle, 
we  were  obliged  to  keep  at  a  respectable  distance  from 
his,  and  all  other  kraals.  In  the  evening  a  goat  was 
brought  to  us  for  slaughter  by  Ludidi,  a  younger  brother 
of  Kreli,  which  we  accepted  with  becoming  expressions 
of  gratitude. 

"  On  Sunday,  Sigcawu  (Spider),  the  Crown  Prince, 
called  with  an  attendant  very  early  upon  us.  He  is  an 
exceedingly  promising  young  man,  of  about  24  years  of 
age,  of  a  reserved  quiet  disposition ;  but  a  good  observer 
of  transpiring  events.  All  that  I  have  heard  of  this 
young  chief  is  to  his  credit.  The  Galekas  do  not  like 
him,  because  he  stabbed  nearly  to  death  a  young  man  for 
cohabiting  with  one  of  his  wives.  Sigcawu  is  reported 
to  be  an  enemy  to  Kafir  vices  of  every  name.  He  took 
his  breakfast  with  us  in  princely  dignity.  Specimens  of 
Nature's  own  nobility  are  to  be  found  by  dozens  among 
his  race.  In  appearance  the  young  chief  is  exceedingly 
prepossessing. 

"  On  the  forenoon  of  the  same  day,  Kreli  came  to  our 
encampment,  with  a  considerable  body  of  attendants.    As 


244  TIYO   SOGA. 

they  came  along  the  road  walking,  in  a  long  line,  and  in 
single  file,  I  identified  him  at  once  from  his  tall,  com- 
mandine:  fisrure,  in  the  exact  middle  of  the  line.  In  the 
usual  formal  Kafir  way,  he  asked  the  object  of  our  visit. 
That  it  should  be  his  pleasui^e  to  give  and  point  out  to 
us  a  site  for  the  contemplated  mission  station  among  his 
people  and  in  his  country,  was  our  answer.  His  reply 
was  very  courteous ;  and  he  referred  the  whole  matter  to 
the  British  Kesident,  as  he  was  the  best  judge  of  the 
most  suitable  site  for  a  mission  station.  We  returned  our 
thanks  to  the  chief  for  what  he  said  to  us,  and  expressed 
ourselves  satisfied. 

"  We  asked  the  chief  for  general  news.  These  he  gave 
us  with  exceeding  goodwill.  Kafir  custom  and  etiquette 
require,  that  if  you  first  ask  news  of  me,  after  relating 
all,  I  must  next  ask  news  from  you,  and  in  the  same 
way  you  relate  what  you  know.  After  the  chief  had 
entertained  us  with  news,  an  opportunity  occurred  to 
unfold  to  a  large  congregation  of  Kafirs  the  message  of 
love  and  mercy.  Such  an  opportunity  we  have  not  had 
before  with  these  people ;  and  with  God's  help  we  availed 
ourselves  of  it.  For  two  hours,  in  a  conversational  way, 
we  reasoned  with  them  of  *  righteousness,  temperance,  and 
the  judgment  to  come.'  The  conversation,  which  ulti- 
mately' took  a  practical  religious  turn,  was  introduced  by 
themselves.  The  chief  first  inquired  about  my  visit  to 
Cape  Town.  He  asked  about  the  ships  of  the  white  men ; 
and  a  description  was  given.  Then  he  wished  to  know  if 
Cape  Town  was  beyond  the  sea.  He  was  told  that  it  was 
in  the  same  land  in  which  we  were.  He  then  asked  where 
England  was,  the  proper  home  of  the  white  men — the  land 
of  the  great  Queen  Victoria.  An  account  of  it  was  given. 
He  then  asked  if  there  were  other  countries  and  nations 


MISSIONARY  EXTENSION.  325 

of  white  men  beyond  the  sea.     Other  European  nations 
and  countries  were  named.    He  then  inquired  if  there  was 
any  other  colour  besides  white   and   black  among  the 
nations  of  the  earth.     This  question  was  answered  in  the 
affirmative ;  and  we  mentioned  the  Chinese,  the  Malays, 
the  Egyptians,  Persians,  &;c.     The  next  question  was — 
What  is  the  white  man's  account  of  the  origin  of  these 
different  races  of  men  ?     I  asked  them  what  their  own 
account  of  the  creation  of  man  was.     They  said  they 
did  not  know.     I  said  :  '  Your  own  account  is,  that  men 
originally  issued  out  of  a  hole  in  the  ground ;  the  white 
men  from  one  hole,  and  the  black  men  from  another.    This, 
however,'  I  proceeded, '  is  not  the  account  which  the  white 
men  gave  of  the  origin  of  the  human  species.'  A  Scriptural 
history  of  the  creation  of  man  was  given,  till  we  came  to 
the  three  sons  of  Noah — the  representative  heads  of  the 
existing  races  of  the  earth.    The  terrible  reality  of  human 
depravity,  consequent  on  man's  fall,  was  taken  up,  and 
discussed  with  keen  interest  and  animation  on  both  sides. 
In  its  wide  ramifications,  it  included  their  own  special 
vices,  which  they  dared  not  dispute.     The  proofs  of  the 
immortality  of  the  soul  seemed  to  electrify  them,  as  having 
never  viewed  the  complex  nature  of  man  in  the  light  in 
which  Mr.  Ross  and  I  presented  it.     They  brought  in,  of 
their  own  accord,  the  central  truth  of  Bible  doctrines — 
the  death  of  the  Son  of  God.     We  were  asked  to  give  our 
account  of  Him.     Need  I  say  that  it  was  enough  that  the 
opportunity  was  given  us  ?     Whether  they  had  referred 
to  it  or  not,  it  would  have  come  up,  and  they  would  have 
heard  of  *  the  great  mystery  of  godliness.' 

"  At  last  they  ceased  questioning  us ;  and  we  asked  if 
they  had  anything  further  to  ask,  to  which  they  replied 
that  they  had  exhausted  all  their  topics,  and  that  on  all 


326  TIYO   SOGA. 

the  points  discussed  they  were  satisfied.  Mr.  Ross  after- 
wards preached  to  the  chief  and  his  assembled  councillors; 
and  thus  closed  our  labours  for  the  day. 

"  On  Monday  we  proceeded  to  the  British  Resident, 
and  informed  him  of  the  chiefs  word,  when  he  told  us 
that  there  were  two  places,  either  of  which  we  could 
select  as  a  site  for  a  station ;  but  as  Mr.  Ross  and  I  con- 
sidered that  the  actual  choice  should  be  decided  by  special 
appointment  of  the  united  missionaries,  we  deemed  it 
unadvisable  to  settle  this  point,  so  we  proceeded  to  the 
district  of  the  Free  Church  in  Fingoland,  and  itinerated 
during  the  whole  week. 

"  The  following  Sabbath  found  us  still  in  this  district,  at 
the  Toleni,  and  at  a  kraal  of  one  of  our  native  Christians. 
We  dispensed  the  communion  to  an  organised  church  of 
91  members.  The  occasion  was  one  of  interest  and 
encouragement  to  the  people  and  to  ourselves.  As  the 
disciples  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  the  converts  were  once  more 
renewing  the  pledge  of  allegiance  to  their  Master,  and  in 
the  midst  of  rank  heathenism.  With  mingled  emotions, 
in  the  communion  services, '  we  exhorted  them  to  continue 
in  the  faith,'  and  to  '  endure  hardness  as  good  soldiers'  of 
Jesus  Christ.  The  attitude  of  our  native  converts  in  the 
Transkei  is  most  gratifying.  When  they  left  our  churches, 
and  the  constant  ministrations  of  their  missionaries,  it 
was  feared,  and  even  asserted,  that  they  would  not  remain 
steadfast.  By  our  unbelief  we  do  injustice  to  the  character 
of  God  and  His  own  blessed  Word.  These  converts,  thank 
God !  have  remained  firm.  We  found  them  not  sitting 
still,  contented  with  what  they  were ;  but  also  active  in 
proclaiming  the  Gospel  to  their  heathen  countrymen,  and 
maintaining  religious  ordinances  among  themselves.  Those 
who  professed  the  truth,  living  in  distant  and  separate 


MISSIONARY  EXTENSION.  327 

districts,  after  diligent  inquiries,  found  out  one  another, 
and  strengthened  each  other  in  the  Lord.  So  much  are 
they  recognised  as  a  peculiar  people,  that  we  met  with 
three  Christian  women,  in  different  places,  who  had  heathen 
husbands,  that  were  allowed,  without  let  or  hindrance, 
to  profess  their  faith  in  the  Gospel.  '  The  Word  of  the 
Lord  endure th  for  ever.' 

"  The  difficulties  of  a  missionary,  among  Kreli's  people, 
will  be  neither  few  nor  small.  That  must  be  distinctly 
stated  and  understood  at  the  outset.  Kreli,  being  the 
paramount  chief  of  the  Amakosa  tribes,  has  been  courted, 
petted,  and  spoiled  by  white  men  and  black  men  of  all 
ranks  and  conditions.  He  has  been  in  the  habit  of  receivinor 

o 

gifts  and  presents,  and  all  good  things.  The  consequence 
is,  that  not  only  he,  but  all  his  subordinate  chiefs,  expect 
to  be  treated  in  an  open-handed  way  by  missionaries.  The 
missionary  who  labours  amongst  them  will  have  to  stand 
the  brunt  of  breaking  down  this  ruinous  custom,  and  it 
will  not  raise  him  in  their  estimation  if  he  succeeds  in 
doing  it. 

"  In  my  opinion  the  Galekas  will  now,  more  than  ever, 
resist  the  introduction  of  the  Gospel.  They  may  not 
prevent  the  establishment  of  mission  stations,  but  they 
will  oppose  the  progress  of  the  Gospel  among  the  people. 
The  prevalent  opinion  in  that  tribe  is,  that  missionaries 
are  the  emissaries  of  Government,  to  act  upon  the  minds 
and  feelings  of  the  people,  with  an  instrument  which  they 
call  'the  Word;'  and  that  those  who  become  affected  by 
the  Word,  and  exchange  Kafir  customs  for  those  of  the 
white  men,  become  subjects  of  the  English  Government. 
Thus  white  men  plan  to  get  a  footing  in  their  country, 
which  they  afterwards  take  altogether.  These  are  the 
views  of  not  a  few  of  Kreli's  people.     The  other  great 


328  TIYO  SOGA. 

difficulty  is,  that  Kreli  will  always  expect  to  gain  some 
political  advantage  through  his  connection  with  a  mis- 
sionary. If  Kreli  is  pleased  with  him,  and  he  is  a  white 
man,  Kreli  will  try  to  get  him  to  present  his  imaginary 
grievances  to  the  powers  that  be.  It  is  well  to  go  into 
his  country  with  a  knowledge  of  these  facts.  But  the 
Lord  is  Governor  amon'g  the  nations.  All  these  difficulties, 
like  mountain  mists,  must  vanish  before  the  glorious  rising 
of  the  Sun  of  Righteousness." 

From  the  impaired  state  of  his  health,  Tiyo  Soga  obtained 
a  six  months'  furlough  in  1866,  and  visited  Cape  Town. 
He  had  consulted  Dr.  Krantz,  of  Queenstown,  who  pro- 
nounced his  ailment  to  be  chronic  laryngitis,  and  recom- 
mended not  temporary,  but  entire  cessation  from  work. 
Upon  this  point  Tiyo  Soga  was  scrupulously  reticent;  and 
not  until  compelled  by  sheer  necessity,  did  he  send  home 
the  medical  certificate,  which  he  had  obtained  for  his  own 
satisfaction.  He  was  very  averse  to  tax  further,  as  he 
said,  the  generosity  of  the  Mission  Board,  as  they  had 
already  defrayed  the  expenses  of  his  trip  to  Basutoland, 
and  aided  him  most  materially  in  the  visit  of  his  wife  and 
child  to  Scotland.  "  Although  I  have  had  the  warning 
contained  in  the  advice,"  he  writes  in  March,  1865,  to  Dr. 
Somerville,  "and  the  certificate  beside  me  for  seven  months, 
I  could  not  bring  my  mind  to  give  up  my  duties.  The 
uneasy  symptoms  and  sensations  about  the  throat  have 
not  been  removed.  I  have  endeavoured  to  take  care  and 
not  overtax  it,  and  have  at  times  given  up  public  speaking, 
for  a  week  or  more,  when  the  symptoms  became  more 
severe.  This  has  been  the  manner  of  my  life  at  the 
station,  and  out  of  it,  ever  since  I  returned  from  Basuto- 
land in  1863.  I  have  found  it  difficult  to  sever  myself 
from  my  duties,  as  each  day  adds  to  their  importance  and 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  329 

responsibility.  One  reason  why  I  have  kept  on  as  I  have 
done  is,  that  my  general  state  of  health  is  tolerably  good, 
and  I  leave  all  to  Him  v^ho  will  i-ontinue  my  life  if  He 
has  more  work  for  me.  I  have  resolved  not  to  avail  myself 
of  the  means  for  improving  my  health,  which  the  Board 
so  kindly  sanctions,  and  which  Dr.  Krantz's  certificate 
recommends.  The  Mission  Board  shall  not  spend  a  pound 
more  for  me.  They  assisted  me,  two  years  ago,  to  recruit 
my  health,  and  have  since  done  much  for  my  wife  and 
child.  I  shrink  from  being  too  much  of  a  recipient."  In 
In|  ovember  of  the  same  year,  he  writes  again  to  Dr.  Somer- 
ville :  "  It  is  only  now  that  I  am  in  a  position  to  think  of 
leaving  home,  so  that  my  next  letter  may  be  dated  from 
Cape  Town.  Permit  me  again  to  thank  the  Board  for 
their  kindness.  Your  letter  containing  their  advice  was 
exceedingly  touching ;  and  I  could  not  help  feeling,  that 
it  was  an  honour  to  be  an  agent  in  the  Lord's  vineyard 
under  men  so  very  considerate.  When  they  so  kindly 
enjoin  me  to  take  their  advice,  my  reluctance  must  give 
way.  Under  such  circumstances,  and  following  what 
medical  advisers  may  recommend,  I  shall  refrain  whilst  at 
Cape  Town  from  all  pulpit  or  public  speaking,  and  be 
completely  at  rest — this  being  a  most  solemn  duty  to  the 
Board  and  to  the  cause  of  Christ." 

Having  gone  to  Cape  Town,  he  writes  from  Kalk  Bay, 
on  24th  May,  1866  :  "  This  is  Her  Majesty's  birthday.  I 
came  here  last  evening  from  Cape  Town,  where  I  passed 
six  days.  On  Sunday  last  I  preached  for  Mr.  Morgan,  and 
got  on  very  well  indeed,  so  far  as  my  voice  is  conocrned. 
Dr.  Kitching,  who  is  a  very  skilful  homoeopathic  doctor, 
recommends  me  not  to  over-exert  my  voice,  but  does  not 
forbid  me  to  exercise  it  occasionally  ;  so,  be  not  astonished 
if  you  hear  of  me  preaching  a  little. 


330  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  When  I  arrived  at  good  old  Mr.  Morgan's  house,  a 
message  aAvaited  me  from  Dr.  Dale,  the  Superintendent 
General  of  Education,  inviting  me  to  call  upon  him,  and 
also  an  intimation  that  His  Excellency  the  Governor  and 
Lady  Wodehouse  desired  him  to  take  me  up  to  the 
Government  House.  I  had  no  objection  to  call  upon  Dr. 
Dale,  for  I  had  a  strong  desire  to  speak  with  him  about 
the  education  of  the  natives ;  but  I  confess  that  I  was 
afraid  to  face  Governor  Wodehouse.  I  have  an  instinctive 
dread  of  meeting  these  great  people.  I  could  not  refuse, 
or  frame  an  excuse  for  not  putting  in  an  appearance.  To 
fortify  myself,  I  asked  the  Rev.  Messrs.  Morgan,  father 
and  son,  to  accompany  me  to  the  great  man;  but  they 
both  politely  declined  ;  and  their  significant  smiles 
betokened  that  they  were  as  timorous  as  myself !  I  had, 
therefore,  to  screw  up  my  courage,  and  put  on  a  bold  face, 
as  I  have  had  to  do  often  before. 

"  Dr.  Dale  is  a  thorough  gentleman.  No  great  man, 
whom  I  have  met,  so  easily  won  my  heart  as  he  did,  and 
in  whose  presence  I  felt  so  much  at  ease.  His  kindness 
was  profuse.  He  loaded  me  with  his  Blue  Book  Reports, 
&c.,  &c.,  and  positively  promised  £75  a  year  for  the  girls', 
infants',  and  boys'  schools  at  the  Mgwali,  as  soon  as  British 
Kaffraria  is  annexed  to  the  Colony.  I  have  no  scruples  to 
accept  it ;  and  if  I  had  the  sole  management  of  the  station 
I  would  accept  it  with  thanks,  for  the  education  of  the 
natives,  and  thus  give  to  our  teachers  proper  salaries.  I 
have  told  Governor  Wodehouse  and  Dr.  Dale  that  I  am 
not  opposed  to  the  grant,  but  rather  desire  it,  and  trust 
that  the  Board  will  allow  me  to  exercise  my  own  judgment 
in  til  is  matter. 

"  This  great  kindness  of  Dr.  Dale  is  owing  to  a  simple 
fact,  which  shows  that  a  man  will  never  lose  anything  by 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  331 

acting  politely.  When  he  was  in  the  frontier,  two  years 
ago,  he  sent  circulars  to  missionaries  in  British  Kaliraria, 
asking  them  to  give  him  information  about  their  schools 
and  their  operation.  He  said  that  it  would  only  be  an  act 
of  politeness  for  missionaries  to  do  so,  as  he  had  nothing 
to  do  with  British  Kaffraria.  In  reply  to  his  circular,  I 
gave  him  a  full  account  of  our  school  operations,  which  he 
embodied  in  his  report. 

"  I  had  twenty  minutes'  talk  with  His  Excellency  Sir 
Philip.  He  was  exceedingly  polite,  kind,  and  affable. 
Lady  Wodehouse,  though  desirous  to  see  me,  could  not 
leave  her  room.  The  doctors  tell  her  that  she  has  not  long 
to  live.  No  class  of  society  can  escape  the  arrow  of  the 
insatiable  archer :  '  Vanity  of  vanities ;  all  is  vanity.'  Let 
us  live  our  life,  and  enjoy  it ;  but  let  us  also  be  prepared 
for  death." 

On  18th  June  of  the  same  year,  he  writes  from  Cape 
Town  to  Dr.  Somerville :  "  It  is  now  three  months  since, 
in  compliance  with  the  kind  wish  of  the  Mission  Board, 
I  came  down  to  these  parts  to  recruit  my  failing  health. 
On  arrival  I  took  proper  medical  advice,  and  followed  the 
prescription.  I  was  recommended  to  remove  to  Kalk  Bay, 
as  a  milder  place,  twelve  miles  distant  from  Cape  Town.  I 
remained  there  for  two  months  with  considerable  advan- 
tage to  my  health,  and  occasionally  ran  up  to  Cape  Town 
to  consult  my  medical  adviser,  and  make  a  few  calls  upon 
private  friends.  My  voice  so  far  improved  at  Kalk  Bay 
that  Dr.  Kitching  advised  me  now  and  again  gently  to  use 
it,  as  the  natural  exercise  of  an  organ  is  in  itself  healthy ; 
and  that  as  a  public  speaker,  it  would  not  do  to  keep  my 
voice  long  out  of  use,  lest  on  return  to  my  work  it  might 
break  down  at  once.  I  have  therefore, at  long  intervals,  used 
it  on  three  occasions  in  Cape  Town — the  last  time  not  so 


332  TIYO   SOGA. 

successfully  as  on  the  first  two.  The  weather,  however, 
at  present  about  the  Cape,  is  wet  and  damp,  whilst  on  the 
frontier  it  is  dry  and  bracing  just  now.  If  all  is  well,  I 
shall  proceed  homewards  in  July  next,  when  the  six  months 
leave  of  absence  expire. 

"  From  the  inclemency  of  the  weather  I  left  Kalk  Bay 
a  week  ago,  and  am  now  residing  with  the  Rev.  George 
Morgan,  minister  of  the  Scotch  Church  in  Cape  Town. 
His,  the  only  Presbyterian  church  for  Cape  Town,  unites 
members  of  the  various  denominations  of  Presbyterians  in 
Scotland.  I  have  received  much  kindness  from  this  Chris- 
tian gentleman  and  his  family.  I  am  only  sorry  that  I 
cannot  aid  him  in  his  abundant  labours,  by  preaching  for 
him.  I  long  also  for  an  opportunity  of  addressing  his 
influential  people  on  the  subject  of  our  work  among  the 
heathen  on  the  frontier.  I  dare  not  trust  myself  to 
lengthened  speaking.  I  have  felt  since  I  came  down  to 
the  Cape,  and  met  with  the  people  of  all  denominations, 
who  know  nothing  of  our  work,  as  seven  hundred  miles 
from  the  scene  of  our  labours,  that  I  had  a  fine  opportunity 
of  pleading  the  cause  of  Christ.  From  my  peculiar  cir- 
cumstances, the  interest  is  great  to  hear  what  I  may  have 
to  say,  and  was  lately  evinced  on  two  very  pleasing 
occasions. 

"  Shortly  after  coming  here,  I  had  the  pleasure  of  making 
the  acquaintance  of  Dr.  Brown,  the  colonial  botanist,  and 
his  truly  excellent  Christian  lady,  who  is  the  sister  of  our 
late  and  venerable  sire.  Dr.  John  Brown,  of  Edinburgh. 
Mrs.  Brown  is  truly  worthy  of  her  ancestry.  Having  an 
eminently  missionary  spirit,  she  introduced  me  to  some 
Christian  ladies  in  and  about  Wynberg  who  partake  of  her 
spirit.  A  few  days  afterwards  she  invited  me  to  a  meeting 
with  these  ladies  in  her  house,  to  have  a  friendly  talk 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  333 

about  mission  work  in  Kaifraria.  I  complied  with  this 
invitation,  to  my  great  satisfaction  afteriuards.  There 
were  about  twenty-five  ladies  present.  There  was  no 
formal  speech.  Dr.  Brown  was  their  spokesman ;  and  for 
a  whole  hour  I  answered  his  questions  in  various  ways  for 
the  information  of  the  good  ladies. 

"  The  other  occasion  to  which  I  refer  is  this : — The  Cape 
Town  Young  Men's  Christian  Association,  on  my  arrival, 
courteously  requested  me  to  give  them  a  public  lecture 
when  my  state  of  health  would  permit.  I  declined  until  I 
got  the  above  advice  of  Dr.  Kitching.  About  a  week  ago,  I 
delivered  to  a  crowded  audience  a  lecture  on  '  Some  of  the 
Current  Popular  Religious  Opinions  of  the  Times.'  The 
lecture,  such  as  it  was,  was  exceedingly  well  received. 
Missionaries  must  show  that  they  can  speak  on  other 
questions  than  those  in  which  they  are  more  immediately 
interested. 

"  In  and  around  Cape  Town  I  have  met  with  excellent 
men  of  all  denominations.  For  a  month,  at  Kalk  Bay,  I 
lived  in  the  household  of  Mr.  Best,  the  English  Church 
catechist  and  schoolmaster.  Without  exception,  he  is  one 
of  the  finest  Christian  men  whom  I  have  met ;  and  that  is 
saying  a  good  deal.  The  kindness  of  his  dear  family  is 
one  of  those  things  that  will  linger  long  and  most  plea- 
santly in  my  memory.  When  I  think  of  Mr.  Best,  the 
words  of  the  poet  Gray  come  up  to  my  mind — 

*  Full  many  a  flower  is  born  to  blush  unseen. 
And  waste  its  fragrance  on  the  desert  air.' 

"  I  had  delightful  fellowship  with  Cape  Town  ministers 
of  difierent  denominations,  who,  for  the  last  twenty-five 
years,  have  held  a  united  fortnightl}^  prayer  meeting.  The 
first  of  these  meetings  which  I  attended  I  shall  never 


334  TIYO  SOGA. 

forget.  I  felt  myself  sweetly  drawn  within  the  Christian 
influence  of  men  whom  the  Lord  has  honoured  and  blessed. 
The  memory  of  that  hour  of  delightful  Christian  fellowship 
lingers  to  this  moment.  I  could  have  enjoyed  the  sederunt 
for  several  hours  longer.  I  have  since  had  the  pleasure 
of  attending  other  meetings  of  these  excellent  brethren. 
Here,  the  ministers  of  the  Dutch  Reformed  Church,  the 
Presbyterian,  the  Wesleyan,  the  Independent,  and  some- 
times of  the  English  Church  meet  as  brethren.  I  am  told 
that  there  is  wonderful  harmony  among  them;  and  I 
thoroughly  believe  it." 

Tiyo  Soga  wrote  to  an  old  Lovedale  school-fellow,  urging 
him,  if  invited,  to  preside  at  the  lecture  which  he  was  about 
to  sive  to  the  Young:  Men's  Christian  Association.  This 
old  school-fellow  was  the  late  W.  R.  Thomson,  M.L.A., 
who  was  then  engaged  in  literary  work  in  Cape  Town, 
and  silently  earning  for  himself  an  honourable  colonial 
reputation.  Mr.  Thomson  replied  as  follows :  "  About 
your  lecture,  you  must  really  forgive  me  if,  when  applied 
to,  which  is  not  at  all  likely,  I  should  refuse  to  take  the 
chair.  It  would  never  do.  I  am  nobody  in  Cape  Town ; 
and  it  would  be  gross  presumption  on  my  part  to  preside 
on  such  an  occasion.  Mr.  Morgan  is  the  man.  Will  you 
allow  me  to  give  you  a  little  bit  of  advice,  or  rather 
caution  ?  I  have  not,  of  course,  the  slightest  idea  how  you 
have  treated  the  very  interesting  subject  which  you  have 
chosen ;  but  I  have  no  doubt  that  if  only  treated  as  you 
did  your  text  the  other  day,  you  will  command  the  atten- 
tion, admiration,  and  respect  of  all  your  hearers,  who  will 
be  numerous,  and,  here  is  the  point,  of  a  very  mixed 
character.  You  will  likely  have  men  and  women  before 
you  of  every  denomination — Papists  as  well  as  Protestants, 
High  Church,  Low  Church,  Broad  Church,  Liberals,  and 


MISSIONARY  EXTENSION.  335 

orthodox  Englishmen,  Dutchmen,  Germans,  Jews  and  Gen- 
tiles ;  in  fact,  as  many  creeds  and  nationalities  as  assembled 
at  Jerusalem  on  the  day  of  Pentecost.  Now,  without  for 
a  moment  advising  you  not  to  be  bold  and  manly  in  your 
assertion  and  vindication  of  what  you  believe  to  be  truth, 
I  hope  you  will  be  cautious,  and  not  give  needless  offence. 
You  have  perhaps  had  opportunity  enough  to  notice  how 
excessively  thin-skinned  and  jealous,  in  the  matter  of  sect 
and  creed,  the  people  of  Cape  Town  are.  But  knowing 
your  calm,  thoughtful,  gentle,  yet  firm  character,  I  am,  I 
fear,  only  giving  you  an  impertinent  lecture  which  is  not 
required.  Forgive  me,  if  I  have  been  over-officious  with 
unnecessary  advice. 

"I  see  that  your  lecture  is  fixed  for  next  Thursday 
evening.  Of  course,  though  I  would  not  dream  of  taking 
the  chair,  I  hope  to  be  there  with  strong  lungs  and  heavy 
heeled  boots,  and  make  you  hear  my  cheers  and  the  noise 
of  my  shoe  leather,  with  that  of  hundreds  of  others.  I  am 
glad  to  be  able  to  tell  you  that,  from  the  accounts  of  many 
people  with  whom  I  have  spoken,  your  sermon  gained  the 
objects  which  you  had  in  view.  It  did  good,  great  good ; 
and  you  succeeded  in  winning  for  your  poor  despised 
blacks  great  credit  and  praise,  by  throwing  such  lustre 
upon  their  obscurity  and  low  estate.  Go  on  as  you  are 
doing.  God  has  given  you  a  special  work  to  do.  He  has 
raised  you  up  to  be  a  marked  character  in  our  country; 
and  many,  many  of  your  countrymen  will,  I  feel  confident, 
ere  long  be  raised  to  a  higher  level  through  your  direct 
influence,  and  through  that  of  others  whom  you  have 
brought  to  respect  Kafir  character  and  intellect." 

According  to  the  Cape  Argus,  the  lecture  was  delivered 
on  5th  June,  18G6,  "  in  the  side  room  of  the  Commercial 
Exchange.      The  chair  was   occupied   by  the  Rev.  Dr. 


336  TIYO  SOGA. 

Brown,  and  the  attendance  was  both  numerous  and  influ- 
ential. The  lecture  was  listened  to  with  great  interest. 
It  exhibited  great  facility  of  exposition  and  illustration ; 
and  the  style  of  the  composition,  though  homely,  was 
never  commonplace.  The  sentences  were  most  admirably 
put  together,  and  there  was  a  refinement  and  earnestness 
of  tone  pervading  the  address." 

Tiyo's  health  seems  to  have  been  benefitted  by  the 
change  to  Cape  Town.  He  writes :  "  After  an  absence  of 
six  months,  I  returned  on  25th  July  to  my  home,  family, 
people,  and  work.  Being  of  rather  a  sanguine  tempera- 
ment, I  am  afraid  of  saying  about  my  health  what  may, 
perhaps,  be  too  favourable.  I  can  say,  however,  that  I 
am  not  what  I  have  been  for  the  last  three  years.  I  am 
stronger.  The  throat  and  voice  have  been  greatly  im- 
proved. They  were  rather  worse  when  I  left  Cape  Town, 
owing  to  the  damp  winter,  and  I  beat  a  precipitate 
retreat  homewards.  There  is  a  singular  fact  about  the 
state  of  the  seasons  in  Southern  Africa,  which  is  worthy 
of  remark.  In  the  Western  division  of  the  Colony,  that 
is  about  the  Cape,  the  summer  is  dry,  and  the  winter  wet 
and  stormy.  In  our  Eastern  part  of  the  Colony,  the  rains 
fall  in  summer  in  great  copiousness,  often  flooding  the 
country;  our  winters,  again,  are  dry,  with  high  north- 
westerly winds.  The  distance  between  the  two  divisions, 
for  such  a  dissimilarity  of  the  seasons,  is  only  about  500 
miles. 

"  For  the  present  improved  state  of  my  health  and 
throat,  I  am  indebted,  I  think,  to  Dr.  Wills'  (of  Edin- 
burgh) system  of  inhaling  his  remedies  for  throat  and 
chest  affections,  which  my  friend,  Mr.  Bogue  of  Glas- 
gow, at  my  request,  })rocured,  along  with  the  medicines 
and  inhaling  apparatus,  with  great  promptitude.     They 


MISSIONARY  EXTENSION.  337 

reached  me  by  the  mail  steamer  just  as  I  was  preparing 
to  Jeave  Cape  Town.  He  has  also  consulted  Dr.  Wills 
on  my  case,  in  accordance  with  his  own  description  of  it 
in  his  papers.  I  commenced  the  application  as  soon  jus 
I  got  home,  and  am  still  applying  it  with  the  happiest 
results,  which,  however,  may  only  be  temporary.  I 
have  again  formally  resumed  my  missionary  duties.  For 
the  present  respite  and  relief,  I  bless  the  Lord,  'who 
remembereth  us  in  our  low  estate,  because  His  mercy 
endureth  for  ever.'  I  note  also,  with  great  gratitude,  the 
kind  forbearance  and  indulgence  of  the  Mission  Board  of 
our  Church.  Should  the  Board  think  it  needful  to  make 
changes  upon  the  mission  field,  in  view  of  the  calls  beyond 
the  Kei,  which  I  am  sorry  to  see  are  as  yet  unanswered 
from  home,  the  state  of  my  health  need  be  no  barrier  to 
my  removal  thither." 

The  catechist  at  Kalk  Bay,  referred  to  by  Tiyo  Soga  in 
his  letter  to  Dr.  Somerville,  has  furnished  a  "  reminiscence 
of  Tiyo  Soga,  as  an  affectionate  contribution  to  this  memoir 
by  a  faithful  disciple,  old  and  feeble,  whose  working  days 
are  ended,  who  felt  that  he  must  say  something,  but  had 
no  longer  the  power  to  write,  or  to  put  what  he  had  to 
say  in  a  more  acceptable  shape." 

"  Although,"  says  Mr.  Best,  "  I  was  acquainted  with 
the  Rev.  Tiyo  Soga  but  a  short  time,  few  persons  knew 
him  better.  I  have  often  wondered  how  a  man  with 
his  youthful  surroundings  could  have  turned  out  such  a 

thorough  gentleman,  and  thorough  Christian  1 

He  was  one  of  my  family  for  several  weeks,  and  I  have 
always  looked  back  upon  those  weeks  with  unfeigned 
pleasure,  as  the  happiest  period  of  my  life.  He  was  suf- 
fering from  an  affection  of  the  throat,  and  came  to  this 
sea-side  village  to  improve  liis  health.     He  got  better 

Y 


338  TIYO   SOGA. 

daily ;  and  ere  he  left,  he  was  able  to  use  his  voice 
freely.  I  took  the  responsibility,  from  knowing  the  large- 
heartedness  of  our  good  Bishop,  to  allow  him  to  officiate 
in  my  stead.  He  did  so  on  two  occasions.  On  the  first 
he  preached  from  Psalm  cvii.  7.  It  was  a  very  useful, 
practical  sermon,  showing  that  God's  way  is  always  the 
right  way,  though  it  may  not  so  appear  to  us.  On  his 
last  Sunday  he  preached  from  Psalm  cxxxvi.  28,  'Who 
remembered  us  in  our  low  estate,  for  His  mercy  endureth 
for  ever.'  He  spoke  in  a  very  touching  manner  of  God's 
goodness  to  himself,  a  heathen,  the  son  of  heathen  parents, 
in  remembering  him  in  his  low  estate,  raising  him  from 
this  low  estate,  and  giving  him  a.  place  and  a  name  amongst 
the  sons  and  daughters  of  the  Lord  Almighty.  If  ever 
a  man  was  lowly  in  his  own  eyes,  that  man  was  Tiyo 
Soga.  He  was  not  an  enthusiast,  or  a  fanatic,  or  a  bigot, 
but  a  simple-minded,  true-hearted  Christian,  in  lowliness 
of  mind  esteeming  others  better  than  himself.  I  asked 
him  on  one  occasion  whether  any  man  of  his  tribe,  who 
received  his  advantages,  would  have  turned  out  so  well. 
He  replied   that   he   knew  many  who  would   have  far 

excelled  him 

"  He  left  Kalk  Bay  on  12th  July  of  the  same  year,  along 
with  my  family.  We  were  all  going  to  the  wedding  of  one 
of  my  daughters,  and  Mr.  Soga,  as  best  man,  purchased  a 
very  handsome  china  breakfast  service,  and  presented  it  to 
the  bride.  I  am  now  looking  at  his  name  in  the  offer- 
tory book,  with  the  sum  of  £2  8s.,  as  a  thank  offering  for 
partial  restoration  to  health,  and  as  given  to  supplement 
my  salary.  He  presided  at  our  family  worship  every 
evening.  He  was  a  good  reader,  a  man  of  extensive 
knowledge,  and  the  best  of  company.  The  last  memorial 
I  had  of  him  was  his  translation  of  the  Pilofrim's  Prosfress, 


MISSIONARY   EXTENSION.  8.*^ 9 

in  Kafir,  and  on  the  fly-leaf  is  written  by  his  own  hand : 
*  This  interesting  curiosity  to  English  readers,  I  present  in 
remembrance  of  happy  days  of  Christian  fellowship,  to 
my  dear  friends,  brother  and  sister,  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Best,  of 
Kalk  Bay.'  .  .  .  When  conversing  on  the  doctrine 
of  predestination,  he  invariably  silenced  friends  and  foes 
by  introducing  one  text  of  Scripture,  1  Thess.  v.  9.  His 
name  shall  long  be  remembered,  as  the  first  Kafir  who  lifted 
up  the  standard  of  the  Cross  in  Kafirland ;  the  first  son  of 
the  soil  who  stood  in  the  gap  to  withstand  the  armies  of 
the  aliens.  May  all  of  us  follow  him,  as  he  followed  Christ, 
in  humility,  simplicity,  and  godly  sincerity." 


CHAPTEK    XYIII. 

LITERARY  LABOURS. 

"  Fly  happy,  happy  sails,  and  bear  the  Press; 
Fly  happy  with  the  mission  of  the  Cross." 

Tito  Soga  had  been  fascinated  by  the  Pilgrim's  Progress, 
and  it  had  long  been  his  earnest  desire,  with  God's  help, 
to  give  it  in  a  Kafir  form  to  his  kinsmen.  On  account 
of  the  accumulating  cares  of  his  mission  work,  and  the 
impaired  state  of  his  health,  it  seemed  as  if  he  would 
never  accomplish  the  task  which  he  had  assigned  to  him- 
self, and  actually  begun  during  his  student  days.  On 
21st  November,  1866,  we  find  the  following  entry  in  his 
Journal :  "  Quarter  past  nine  o'clock,  night. — Finished, 
through  the  goodness  of  Almighty  God,  the  translation  of 
the  first  part  of  Pilgrim's  Progress,  my  fingers  aching 
with  writing."  He  writes  to  Dr.  Somerville :  "  I  have  not 
been  idle.  I  have  been  carrying  through  the  press  a 
translation  into  Kafir  of  the  immortal  work  of  John 
Bunyan.  I  gave  the  translation  over  to  the  Free  Church 
brethren,  who  have  a  printing  press,  and  they  have  joyfully 
undertaken  to  publish  it."  To  Mr.  Bogue  he  writes : 
"  You  will  be  glad  to  hear  that  I  have  got  the  length  of 
having  finished  the  translation  of  the  Pilgrim's  Progress 
in  Kafir.  It  is  being  printed  at  Lovedale.  We  applied 
to  the  Religious  Tract  Society  for  their  woodcuts,  so  as 
to  have  it  illustrated,  and  they  cheerfully  granted  our 
request.  I  long  to  see  the  reception  of  this  noble  work 
by  our  native  Christiaus,  as  well  as  by  our  people  who 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  341 

can  read.  We  publish  only  the  first  part  of  it,  and  it  is 
all  that  is  finished,  until  we  see  how  it  takes  amoncr  the 
people.  The  reception  will  indicate  whether  or  not  I 
should  complete  it.  It  will  be  something  new  for  our 
people.  I  translated  a  large  portion  of  it  when  a  student 
in  Scotland;  but,  as  then  translated,  the  Kafir  of  it  would 
have  spoiled  the  work." 

This  work  was  dedicated  "  to  the  Kev.  William  Govan, 
the  founder  and  superintendent  of  the  Lovedale  Free 
Church  Missionary  Institution,  one  of  the  long- tried, 
unwearying,  constant  friends  and  benefactors  of  the 
native  races  of  South  Africa,  by  his  friend  and  pupil, 
Tiyo  Soga."  The  criticisms  of  the  translation  were 
laudatory  in  the  extreme.  All  competent  to  form  an 
opinion,  pronounced  the  translation  a  great  success.  It 
was  read  with  avidity  at  every  station.  Some  mission- 
aries, at  their  weekly  services,  read  portions  of  it  to  their 
people,  and  lectured  upon  it.  Children  were  fascinated 
with  the  story.  Tiyo  Soga  was  privileged  to  see  his 
volume  everywhere  welcomed.  A  second  edition,  in  a 
more  attractive  form,  has  emanated  from  the  Lovedale 
press.  The  following  opinion  of  the  book,  and  there  is 
no  exaGfO^eration  in  it,  will  mve  to  the  reader  a  concise 
account  of  Tiyo  Soga's  great  work : — 

"  Mr.  Soga's  ability  as  a  public  speaker  in  English,  is 
admitted  by  all  who  have  listened  to  him ;  and  those  who 
have  heard  him  in  Kafir,  as  well  as  in  English,  admit  that 
his  greatest  power  lies  in  his  own  language.  The  translation 
shows  how  carefully  and  successfully  he  has  adapted  the 
shades  of  meaning,  peculiar  to  the  Kafir  language,  to  the 
niceties  of  English  idiom.  The  doctrinal  portions  of  the 
work  have  been  accurately,  yet  almost  literally  rendered, 
and  specially  so  where  quotations  from  the  Scriptures 


342  TIYO   SOGA. 

occur.  The  descriptive  scenes  and  conversational  parts 
are  more  freely  translated,  and  the  meaning  of  the  text 
has  been  most  forcibly  and  strikingly  given  in  expressive 
native  idiomatic  forms.  To  accomplish  this,  a  vrord  or 
sentence  has  occasionally  been  supplied ;  but,  in  no  case, 
has  the  sense  been  changed.  The  pathetic  and  emotional 
parts  have  been  naturally  and  exquisitely  expressed  ;  and 
where  the  immortal  Bunyan  has  provoked  a  smile,  by 
some  quaint  yet  simple  pleasantry,  the  translator  has 
caught  the  exact  meaning,  and  given  a  life-like  reproduc- 
tion of  the  original. 

"There  seemed  great  difficulties  as  to  the  names  of 
Bun^^an's  characters;  but  the  translator  has  been  most 
felicitous,  not  only  in  the  meanings  of  the  names,  but 
in  giving  them  in  euphonious  Kafir.  A  few  instances 
will  serve  to  show  this:  Obstinate  is  Pikapele;  Pliable 
is  Yumazonke ;  Worldly  Wiseman,  Sazingazwe ;  Love  of 
Vain  Glory,  Tandu'dams;  Sir  Harry  Greedy,  Bawela; 
Implacable,  Zondinzendo ;  with  many  others  which  could 
not  be  more  happily  translated. 

"  The  Slough  of  Despond  is  faithfully  represented ;  and 
the  conflict  with  Apollyon,  is  inimitably  reproduced.  Of 
the  truth  of  the  latter  statement,  the  following  incident  is 
the  best  proof.  A  missionary,  travelling  in  Kaflfraria,  a 
short  time  ago,  happened  to  have  in  his  possession  a  proof- 
sheet,  containing  a  description  of  the  conflict.  Having  read 
this  to  a  native  he  was  asked  if  the  writer  had  himself 
witnessed  the  scene;  and  being  informed  that  this  was  the 
translation  of  an  allegory,  the  native  in  great  astonishment 
replied — that  it  appeared  to  him  impossible  for  any  one 
but  an  eye-witness  to  have  given  such  a  description.  No 
translator  could  desire  a  higher  recognition  of  the  merits 
of  his  work,  than  this  tribute  so  unconsciously  paid. 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  343 

"  The  Valley  of  the  Shadow  of  Death,  is  very  graphically 
described ;  and  the  representation  of  Vanity  Fair  is  perfect. 
The  noble  sentiments  of  Christian  and  Hopeful  are  touch- 
ingly  given;  and  the  animus,  and  frivolities  of  the  judge, 
and  jury,  are  represented  to  the  Kafir  reader,  with  great 
vigour.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the  description  of 
Giant  Despair,  and  Doubting  Castle ;  and  in  the  passage 
representing  the  journey  from  the  Delectable  Mountains 
to  the  Celestial  City,  the  reviewer  read  the  old  story 
in  its  new  dress,  with  all  the  delight  and  fascination 
experienced  in  reading  it  in  his  boyhood." 

It  was  well-known  that  Tiyo  Soga,  since  entering  the 
mission-field,  was  collecting  Kafir  fables,  legends  and 
proverbs,  fragments  of  Kafir  history,  rugged  utterances 
of  native  bards,  the  ancient  habits  and  customs  of  his 
countrymen,  and  the  genealogy  of  Kafir  chiefs  with 
striking  incidents  in  their  lives.  Great  expectations 
were  formed  by  his  friends  concerning  such  a  work, 
which  he  was  so  well  able  to  execute.  Fragments  of 
this  mystic  lore  he  published  in  a  few  articles  in  "  The 
Indaha,"  which  showed  his  intimate  knowledge  of  the 
past  events  of  his  country.  One  or  two  of  these  articles 
revealed  a  depth  of  ])layful  humour  in  his  character,  and 
formed  probably  the  most  attractive  contributions  in  that 
praiseworthy  attempt  to  awaken  in  the  Kafir  a  taste  for 
reading.  This  task  was  never  accomplished.  His  pencil 
notes  are  of  so  brief  and  fragmentary  a  character,  and 
withal  so  illegible,  that  it  is  impossible  now  to  form  from 
them  any  connected  intelligible  narrative.  His  biographer 
has  often  seen  him  seated  in  a  Kafir  hut,  adjoining  his 
house  at  the  Mgwali,  when  the  station  people  were  asleep, 
sitting  with  pencil  and  note-book  in  hand,  jotting  down 
what  he   expected  to   give  to  the  world,  whilst  an  old 


o44  TITO   SOGA. 

man  named  Gontshi,  as  grizzled  as  the  ancient  mariner, 
with  a  well-filled  pipe,  and  a  huge  bowl  of  coffee  before 
him,  waxed  eloquent  in  his  narration  of  incidents  of  Kafir 
history,  and  of  Kafir  fables.  These  papers  are  lost ;  and 
Gontshi  has  reached  that  period  of  life  when  memory  fails. 
Only  two  fragments  are  preserved,  in  which  the  reader 
will  be  at  all  interested ;  but  they  may  serve  as  a  specimen 
of  what  Tiyo  might  have  done  had  he  lived  to  carry  out 
his  purpose.     The  first,  abridged,  is  on  Kafir  doctors. 

"  The  Kafirs  are  in  a  transition  state.  This  is  an  acknow- 
ledged fact,  and  proofs  everywhere  abound.  The  people 
are  fast  settling  down  into  a  condition  which  must  alter 
or  greatly  modify  their  primitive  habits,  customs,  and 
institutions.  To  me  it  is  specially  interesting  to  note 
down  many  things  connected  with  them  which  are  fast 
passing  away,  and  not  otherwise  likely  to  be  known. 
Besides,  whatever  relates  to  their  species  has  a  general 
interest  to  all  men,  and  cannot  be  devoid  of  useful  infor- 
mation or  instructive  lessons. 

"  As  a  good  deal  of  what  is  curious  among  the  Kafirs  is 
connected  with  their  doctors,  and  as  I  am  in  a  position  to 
obtain  from  my  countrymen  all  the  information  that  I 
desire,  without  reserve  or  suspicion,  1  have  collected  many 
details  from  one  of  my  elders,  who  was  a  doctor  in  his 
heathen  state." 

Superstition  runs  through  the  whole  system  of  Kafir 
belief,  in  every  event  and  act  of  life.  Tiyo  Soga  had 
purposed  giving  a  description  of  these  superstitions ;  but 
his  notes  are  meagre,  and  little  use  can  now  be  made  of 
them.     The  following  may  bear  transcription : — 

"  1st.  NecJdet  of  the  hair  of  a  coivs  tail — When  a  Kafir 
suffers  from  a  lingering  and  troublesome  disease,  the 
services  of  a  witch  doctor  are  sought,  who  invariably 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  345 

orders  that  a  few  hairs  be  plucked  from  the  brush  of  a 
cow's  tail,  and  when  plaited  be  constantly  worn  round  the 
neck.  This  is  a  charm  to  get  rid  of  the  troublesome 
infirmity.  I  heard  of  a  woman,  going  to  a  dance,  and  for- 
getting to  put  on  this  necklet.  Some  time  thereafter  she 
was  seized  with  illness,  and  she  attributed  it  to  this  neglect, 
and  declared  that  it  was  mainly  owing  to  her  necklet 
that  she  had  hitherto  enjoyed  such  good  health.  If  a 
married  woman  takes  ill,  her  first  act  usually  is  to  leave 
her  husband's  home,  and  go  to  her  father's  place  to  get  a 
necklet  from  the  sacred  cow  of  her  father.  Should  this 
cow  calve,  the  milk  of  it  is  drunk  exclusively  by  those 
who  wear  this  necklet ;  and  should  it  die,  the  necklet,  if 
old,  is  replaced  by  getting  another  from  the  progeny  of  «• 
this  sacred  cow.  All  these  things  are  done  at  the  instance 
of  the  doctor. 

"  2nd.  Lightning. — When  lightning  has  struck  any- 
thing at  a  kraal,  a  doctor  is  called  in.  If  a  bullock  has 
been  struck,  it  is  not  touched,  but  is  allowed  to  remain 
where  it  fell,  until  the  doctor  arrives.  His  first  act  is  to 
bury  the  animal  whole.  After  this  he  performs  certain 
propitiatory  rites  and  ceremonies  to  purify  the  place, 
and  there  are  dances  and  feastings,  because  as  they  say, 
the  Lord  has  paid  a  visit.  Then  the  doctor  orders  that 
nothing  whatsoever  belonging  to  that  kraal,  and  to  those 
immediately  adjoining  it,  is  to  be  given  or  taken  away 
until  he  gives  permission.  If  the  lightning  has  struck 
anything  in  a  cultivated  field,  the  crops  in  that  Held  |Lre 
not  allowed  to  be  touched  or  reaped.  One  of  my  ciders 
once  purchased  the  produce  of  a  whole  field,  which  a 
flash  of  lightning  had  struck.  The  owner  had  to  gain 
the  consent  of  the  doctor  to  the  sale.  The  purchaser 
did  not  lose  by  the  bargain. 


346  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  3rd.  Isivivane  is  a  cairn  of  stones  by  the  way-side ; 
and  every  traveller,  as  he  passes,  throws  a  stone,  and  as 
he  thus  adds  to  the  heap,  he  breathes  the  petition,  '  Give 
me  strength,  Sivivane.' 

"4th.  Stones,  placed  on  a  tree  where  the  branches 
divide,  are  prayers,  that  the  traveller  may  find  something 
cooked  at  the  place  whither  he  is  bound ;  and  when  it  is 
placed  higher  up  in  the  tree,  the  prayer  is,  that  the  food 
which  he  thus  expects  and  prays  to  find  may  be  of  good 
quahty,  and  that  he  may  eat  to  the  full.  The  twisting 
of  long  grass  into  knots  by  the  way-side  has  the  same 
meaning. 

"  5th.  Iniishologvb  are  the  ghosts  of  the  departed.  If 
there  is  disease  or  death  at  a  village,  or  mortality  amongst 
cattle,  and  a  doctor  is  consulted,  he  assigns,  as  a  reason, 
that  the  hnishologvu  are  not  appeased,  and  that  they  were 
at  that  unfortunate  place  last  night,  for  he  saw  them  in 
his  dreams.  The  displeasure  of  the  Imishologu  is  said 
often  to  arise  from  their  want  of  food,  from  never  scenting 
flesh  meat  at  the  village  of  their  descendants,  and  they 
are  dissatisfied  with  such  stinginess :  or  they  are  angry 
at  the  manner  in  which  things  are  conducted  by  their 
offspring,  and  with  the  reckless  waste  and  squandering 
of  property!  The  only  way  to  appease  these  ancestors  is 
by  slaughtering  the  finest,  fattest,  and  ofttimes  the  most 
useful  bullock  in  the  kraal. 

"  There  are  six  classes  of  doctors  among  the  Kafirs.  The 
first  class  administers  herbs  exclusively,  and  takes  its 
title  from  the  sharpened  piece  of  wood  with  which  they 
dig  up  the  medical  herbs.  They  were  formerly  held  in  great 
repute,  and  frequently  continued  their  services,  when 
the  other  classes  of  doctors  were  consulted.  The  second 
removes  the  cause  of  disease,  which  is  either  a  lizard,  a 


LITERARY  LABOURS.  347 

serpent,  or  leguan  (a  miniature  alligator).  This  they  do, 
by  manipulating  on  the  painful  part,  and  when  they 
have  brought  the  serpent,  or  whatever  it  be,  near  to  the 
surface  of  the  body,  they  apply  a  large  plaster  of  cow's 
dung,  and  thus  draw  out  the  destroyer  from  the  body. 
The  third  class  is  that  of  dreamers  and  visionists,  who 
discover  the  nature  of  the  disease.  The  fourth  is  that 
of  the  Izanuse,  or  those  doctors  who  smell  out  persons 
suspected  of  killing  others  by  witchcraft.  The  fifth  class 
is  that  of  the  Amatola,  of  which  Mlanjeni,  of  1857  notoriety, 
may  be  cited  as  a  specimen.  This  class  regulates  the 
conduct  of  war.  The  Kafirs  cannot  go  to  war,  or  engage 
in  battle,  without  the  sanction  of  the  Itola.  He  is  invari- 
ably saluted  thus  '  Camagu  or  Co'si ! '  He  purifies  them 
from  all  uncleanness.  This  he  does  by  first  washing  them 
in  a  stream,  then  he  kindles  a  fire  made  of  medicinal  herbs, 
and  then  the  warriors  have  to  pass  and  repass  through  the 
smoke.  They  must  then  sleep  in  the  cattle  kraal,  and  on  no 
account  sleep  in  tJieir  houses.  This  is  repeated  day  after 
day ;  and  in  order  to  test  their  value,  the  warriors  engage 
in  a  sham  fight,  after  leaping  with  their  shields  and 
assegays  through  the  fire.  The  sixth  class  is  that  of  the 
rain  doctors.  I  purpose  beginning  with  a  description  of 
the  Izanuse.  They  stood  at  the  head  of  all  the  other 
doctors  in  Kafirland,  and  their  very  name  which  means 
'  something  fearful  to  look  at,'  was  significant  of  all  that 
was  terrible  in  the  minds  of  the  Kafirs.  Their  professed 
object  was  to  find  out  by  'smelling'  the  cause  of  sickness 
or  death.  Their  importance  in  the  estimation  of  the 
Kafirs  may  be  gathered  from  the  fact  that  no  ordinary 
person  could  engage  their  services.  They  were  the  exclus- 
ive monopoly  of  the  chiefs,  councillors,  and  men  of  note. 
It  was   only   when   matters   had   reached   a   crisis — the 


348  TIYO   SOGA. 

person  being  hopelessly  ill,  or  actually  dead — that  the 
service  of  an  Izanuse  was  required.  Frequently  the 
necessity  for  the  interposition  of  an  Izanuse  was  indicated 
by  the  doctors  of  the  first  or  second  class,  who  are  usually 
consulted  in  the  earlier  stages  of  the  disease.  Generally, 
however,  the  anxiety  or  grief  of  relatives  and  friends 
needed  no  external  promptings,  and  in  the  failure  of 
other  means  they  naturally  turned  to  the  last  though 
terrible  expedient  of  an  appeal  to  the  Izanuse. 

"  Among  the  Kafirs  the  sickness  of  every  person  of  note 
is  reported  to  his  chief,  from  its  commencement  to  its  issue, 
whether  favourable  or  otherwise.  When  the  relatives  and 
friends  of  the  sick  or  diseased  have  agreed  among  them- 
selves about  the  doctor,  they  ask  the  chief's  permission  to 
send  for  the  doctor.  The  reason  of  this  step  is,  that  the 
chief,  being  the  lord  of  life  and  death,  no  private  individual 
could  claim  the  right  of  engaging  an  Izanuse,  whose  dis- 
closures generally  involve  the  sacrifice  of  life.  Permission 
being  granted  by  the  chief,  messengers  are  forthwith 
despatched  to  the  doctor,  with  an  assegay  as  a  formal  fee 
in  advance.  Should  the  doctor  be  '  a  sharp  one'  (to  use  a 
Kafir  expression),  he  there  and  then,  in  the  presence  of 
the  messengers,  begins  '  to  point  out,'  in  general  but 
decided  and  professional  terms,  how  the  evil  or  calamity 
came  to  pass.  This  is  the  doctor's  bait,  which  always 
takes.  It  makes  his  services  an  indispensable  necessity. 
It  gives  them  confidence  in  his  skill,  and  it  makes  the 
messengers,  who  have  seen  and  heard  all  for  themselves, 
the  advocates  of  his  claims,  so  as  to  secure  him  against 
all  rival  competitors  in  the  mysteries  of  '  smelling  out.' 
When  the  messengers  bring  a  favourable  report  of  the 
doctor's  skill,  he  is  sent  for  at  once.  Messengers  hasten 
to  his  kraal,  and  deliver  their  messao:e.     If  the  doctor  has 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  349 

made  up  his  mind  to  go,  he  sends  back  the  messengers  who 
came  for  him,  a  day  in  advance  of  himself,  so  that  the 
people  of  the  district  may  be  assembled,  and  ready  when 
he  comes.  On  the  day  fixed  for  his  arrival,  groups  of  men 
and  women  are  found  in  vast  numbers  at  the  appointed 
kraal.  Perhaps  no  day  dawns  to  Kafirs  with  more  melan- 
choly gloom,  than  does  the  dawn  of  that  day  on  which  the 
doctor's  revelations  are  to  be  made.  It  may  be  compared 
to  the  morning  of  a  day  of  execution,  in  the  dark  times  of 
Great  Britain's  history;  with  this  difference,  that  in  Kafir- 
land  the  victim  or  victims,  who  are  to  be  doomed  that  day 
to  forfeit  their  precious  lives,  are  known  only  to  one  man 
up  to  the  moment  that  he  discloses  the  name  or  names. 
This  uncertainty  inspires  so  many  hearts  with  dread;  for 
although  uncivilized  men  are  cruel,  and  thirst  for  blood, 
they  tremble  when  their  own  lives  are  in  imminent 
danger.  Many,  therefore,  who  went  to  such  a  fatal  kraal 
laboured  under  painful  and  uneasy  apprehensions,  which 
deepened  and  increased  as  the  critical  moment  approached. 
To  be  absent  were  almost  tantamount  to  a  public  confession 
of  guilt. 

"  The  multitude  of  men  and  women,  on  assembling, 
formed  themselves  into  a  dense  compact  circle,  leaving  an 
open  space  in  the  centre.  At  this  stage  they  struck  up  a 
song,  which  custom  consecrated  to  such  occasions ;  and 
which,  indeed,  took  its  name  (Umlahla)  from  the  transac- 
tions of  the  smelling  day.  It  was,  in  fact,  the  knell  of 
death ;  and  the  united  voices  of  men  and  women  swelled 
out  its  melancholy  strain  far  and  wide. 

"  These  things  are  merely  preliminary.  The  doctor  at 
length  makes  his  appearance,  attended  by  a  considerable 
number  of  people,  who  close  round  his  person,  to  conceal 
him  until  the  proper  moment  arrives.    At  the  sight  of  this 


350  TIYO  SOGA. 

dark,  united,  moving  mass  guarding  the  doctor  out  of 
view,  the  eager,  expectant  multitudes  raise  their  voices 
into  one  simultaneous  burst  of  wild  impassioned  singing. 
At  the  entrance  of  the  kraal  the  doctor  makes  a  halt.  The 
singing  is  hushed,  and  there  is  breathless  stillness.  The 
doctor's  signal  being  well  understood,  a  man  is  immedi- 
ately sent  from  the  kraal  to  point  out  the  hut  where  the 
doctor  and  his  retinue  are  to  be  lodged.  They  move  to 
the  appointed  hut,  and  the  multitude  resumes  the  song. 
On  arriving  at  the  hut,  the  party  stands  at  the  door,  and 
the  doctor,  having  completed  his  preparations  without 
entering  the  hut,  bursts  suddenly  out  of  his  own  company; 
with  hurried  steps  and  violent  gesticulations,  one  side  of 
his  face  painted  white  and  the  other  black,  and  without  a 
rag  to  the  body  (it  does  not  matter  what  is  the  sex  of  the 
doctor),  this  shocking  spectacle  is  performed.  Approach- 
ing the  singing  crowd,  the  doctor  moves  round  it  several 
times,  keeping  time  with  the  music.  Pausing  a  while, 
he  enters  the  wide  interior  space,  through  an  opening 
made  for  him.  The  doctor  resumes  his  wild  antics,  and 
makes  attempts  to  push  his  head  through  the  crowd  at 
several  points.  He  then  takes  his  last  stand,  and  at  the 
highest  pitch  of  his  voice  exclaims, '  I  see  thee,  So-and-so,' 
naming  his  victim  ;  '  son  or  daughter  of  So-and-so,  I  make 
thee  unclean!' 

"  It  was  the  custom,  before  the  Izanuse  arrived,  to 
appoint  the  ablest  speaker  to  cross-examine  the  doctor  on 
behalf  of  the  victim.  As  soon  as  the  doctor  named  his 
victim,  the  questioner  left  the  circle  and  stood  alone, 
and  then  began  to  cross-examine  the  Izanuse.  The  reason 
why  such  a  person  was  appointed  was,  that,  as  all  the 
people  are  subjects  of  the  chief,  no  one  should  be  put  to 
death  without  a  clear  conviction  of  his  crime.    Sometimes 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  351 

it  happened  that  the  doctor  got  bewildered  and  per[>lexed 
by  the  examination,  and  in  that  case  his  attendants  came 
to  the  rescue  by  asking  if  the  doctor  had  not  come  to  do 
what  they  wished — by  pointing  out  who  it  was  that  was 
working  this  mischief.  The  reply  generally  is,  that  the 
questioner  is  disinterested — that  the  victim  smelted  out  is 
a  subject  of  the  chief,  and  must  be  condemned  on  clear 
evidence.  If  the  persons  smelled  out  are  in  the  crowd, 
they  are  immediately  thrust  out,  and  made  to  stand  before 
every  eye ;  and  if  they  manage  to  effect  their  escape,  their 
cattle  are  then  confiscated.  But  if  the  victim  happens  to 
be  the  beloved  head  of  a  large  village,  his  people  will  at 
once  seize  their  asSegays,  and  resolve  to  die  with  him,  if 
any  one  dares  touch  him.  Sometimes  the  person  claims 
the  protection  of  a  neighbouring  chief,  and  it  gives  rise 
to  a  petty  tribe.  Such  was  the  origin  of  Pato's  tribe, 
called  the  Amaqunakwebe. 

"  The  Izanuse  are  never  prosecuted  for  false  accusation, 
although  the  evidence  may  be  strong  against  them.  If 
the  victim  is  not  persecuted,  he  very  easily  escapes  for  a 
time  to  some  other  place ;  and  when  the  excitement  has 
subsided,  he  quietly  returns  to  his  former  place,  especially 
if  he  be  a  man  of  note. 

"  If,  however,  the  questioner  cannot  overturn  the  state- 
ments of  the  doctor,  a  consultation  takes  place  among 
those  who  solicited  the  doctor's  services.  The  accused 
parties  are  then  apprehended  by  men  appointed  for  the 
purpose ;  and  are  left  in  their  custody.  The  horrid  work 
of  extorting  confession  by  torture  then  commences:  hot 
stones,  not  large,  are  applied  to  the  lower  parts  of  the 
body;  then  a  nest  of  large  black  ants  is  broken  over  the 
victim ;  or  heated  twigs  of  the  elephant  tree  are  bound 
round  his  body.     This  tree  retains  enormous  heat  if  its 


352  TIYO   SOGA. 

twigs  are  simply  passed  for  a  few  minutes  through  hot 
ashes,  and  also  assume  great  flexibility,  which  renders  it 
easy  to  bind  them  round  different  parts  of  the  body,  and 
thereby  inflict  exquisite  torture.  Some  of  these  persons 
maintain  their  innocence  until  death.  If  they  refuse  to 
acknowledge  their  guilt,  even  when  thus  tortured,  word  is 
sent  to  the  chief  to  ask  what  is  to  be  done.  They  are  told 
to  loose  them,  wash  them  with  water,  and  let  them  go  home. 

"  There  is  a  remarkable  and  thrilling  story  in  Kafir 
history,  of  Nomtsheke  and  his  wife,  who  were  both  pro- 
nounced to  be  witches  by  an  Izanuse.  They  were  accused 
of  witchcraft  just  as  the  sun  had  set;  and  as  it  was  too 
late  to  perpetrate  the  acts  of  cruelty,  they  were  told  to  go 
and  occupy  their  hut  that  night,  and  they  would  be  spoken 
to  next  day.  To  prevent  their  escape,  a  large  body  of 
armed  men  kept  watch  round  the  village.  The  man 
cautiously  tried  every  expedient  to  effect  his  escape,  but 
found  it  impossible.  By  a  most  singular  coincidence, 
towards  the  break  of  day,  a  thick  mist  enveloped  the 
place,  and  he  made  his  escape  to  the  mission  station  of 
Old  Lovedale ;  but  his  poor  wife,  whom  he  left  behind, 
was  seized  and  roasted  to  death,  although  with  her  last 
breath  she  denied  all  guilt.  They  had  three  children,  who 
fled  to  the  station,  and  are  still  connected  with  the  mission. 
In  this  way  mission  stations  became  cities  of  refuge. 

"  Another  well-known  case  of  a  doctor's  cruelty  may 
close  this  subject.  Nqeno,  the  chief  of  one  of  the  branches 
of  the  Gaika  tribe,  was  in  his  day  a  great  lover  of  dogs. 
His  attachment  to  the  canine  species  amounted  to  a 
passion,  and  he  had  a  very  great  number  of  them  at 
his  kraal.  Whenever  he  saw  that  they  were  hungry, 
he  slaughtered  a  bullock  for  them,  and  got  them  well 
fed  as  Ion  or  as  the  flesh  lasted.     On  one  occasion,  these 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  358 

pampered  animals  unaccountably  sickened  and  died,  one 
after  another.  An  Izanuse  was  engaged  by  the  chief  to 
find  out  the  cause  of  the  mortality.  The  chief  had  a 
faithful  favourite  servant,  named  Bili,  wJio,  from  his 
devotion  to  his  chief,  and  the  readiness  and  alacrity  with 
which  he  served  him,  had  raised  himself  to  a  position  of 
great  confidence.  To  refuse  obeying  the  orders  of  a  chief 
was  reckoned  an  unpardonable  crime  among  the  Kafirs. 
It  must  have  been  so  early  an  understood  law,  that  it 
is  questionable  whether  instances  could  be  given  in  which 
any  refused  to  comply  with  the  wishes  of  their  chiefs. 
It  could  only  be  done  in  two  cases ;  when  the  individual 
sent  was  sick,  or  when  he  happened  to  be  the  chief's  own 
milker.  In  this  latter  case,  he  was  at  liberty  to  say  to  his 
chief :  '  I  cannot  think  of  entrusting  my  father's  milk 
sacks  into  the  hands  of  any  other  person.  I  do  not  know 
what  might  happen  during  my  absence.'  That  excuse  is 
the  pretended  fear  lest  the  chief  should  be  poisoned ;  and 
the  argument  is  irresistible.  But  whilst  no  man  dared 
disobey  his  chief,  it  was  often  easy  to  see  whether  some 
preferred  to  serve  him  at  home  or  abroad,  that  is,  on 
nearer  or  more  distant  errands.  But  the  man  of  whom 
I  speak  seemed  to  find  his  happiness  in  obeying  his 
master's  will  at  all  hazards,  and  everywhere.  Yet  the 
doctor  fixed  upon  him  the  stigma  of  bewitching  the  chief's 
dogs.  He  was  immediately  apprehended ;  and  to  extort 
confession  of  his  crime,  he  was  tortured  by  heated  twigs 
of  the  elephant  tree  being  fastened  about  his  body.  At 
length  the  chief  relented,  doubtless  by  the  entreaties  of 
the  poor  man,  and  by  the  recollection  of  his  many  services. 
His  tormentors,  who  had  formerly  applauded  his  fidelity, 
stopped  their  inhuman  work.  The  heated  twigs  of  the 
elephant    tree    had,    however,   accomi)lished    their   cruel 


354  TIYO  SOGA. 

work ;  for  although  the  sores  healed  afterwards,  his  body- 
bore  the  marks  of  branded  rings  as  long  as  he  lived.  He 
would  not  leave  his  chief  after  all  this  ignominious  treat- 
ment, and  served  with  even  greater  fidelity  and  disinter- 
estedness than  before.  But  there  are  men  in  this  world 
whom  misfortune  seems  to  doom.  This  same  poor  man 
was  again  charged  with  bewitching  by  another  Izanuse. 
On  this  occasion  he  managed  to  escape  to  the  tribe  to  which 
he  originally  belonged.  When  the  displeasure  of  his  chief 
had  abated,  he  returned  and  found  forgiveness.  He  was 
again  in  confidence  ;  and  so  remained  for  many  a  day.  On 
one  occasion  Nqeno,  now  grey  with  old  age,  visited  Grahams- 
town,  which  was  at  that  time  much  frequented  by  Kafirs. 
The  faithful  old  servant,  also  much  advanced  in  years,  was 
one  of  the  party  who  accompanied  his  chief.  He  was  sent 
during  this  visit  on  some  distant  message.  He  obeyed ;  but 
it  must  have  been  with  some  reluctance,  as  he  was  now  old 
and  stifi  with  age.  Most  unfortunately  for  him,  the  old 
chief  overheard  him  muttering  his  discontent  in  rather 
disrespectful  terms,  which  is  a  great  crime,  by  calling  his 
master  '  the  grey-headed  old  troubler,'  or  something  to  that 
effect.  The  faithful  servant's  career  was  near  a  close. 
Nqeno  resented  the  insult.  He  was,  however,  allowed  to 
go  on  his  last  errand.  He  had  executed  his  commission 
with  credit.  Poor  fellow  !  he  knew  nothing  of  the  doom 
that  awaited  him ;  nor  did  any  one  else,  except  the  wily 
ungrateful  old  chief.  On  his  arrival,  Nqeno  reported  the 
man's  disrespectful  language  to  his  councillors,  who  imme- 
diately led  him  away  and  hung  him  by  the  neck  to  a  tree." 
The  second  fragment  of  interest,  which  may  be  placed 
befure  the  reader,  is  concerning  the  Kafir  belief  about  the 
creation,  and  is  as  follows  : — "  The  Kafir  has  no  legends,  so 
far  as  I  can  learn,  concerning  the  creation  of  the  heavens, 


LITERARY    LABOURS.  355 

the  earth,  the  sun,  the  moon,  and  the  stars.  These  things 
seem  to  have  baffled  his  imagination ;  but,  of  course, 
since  Christianity  has  been  at  work  amongst  them,  they 
believe  that  God  is  the  maker  of  them  all.  Man  as 
well  as  the  lower  animals  are  said  to  have  come  from 
Eluhlangeni,  which  is  said  to  be  far  away  to  the  east. 
This  Uhlanga  is  a  place  where  there  are  three  large  holes. 
From  one  issued  the  black  man  ;  from  another  the  white  ; 
and  from  a  third  the  lower  animals.  Each  of  those  holes  is 
called  an  Uhlanga.  Man  came  out  first;  and  then  the  lower 
animals.  Those  animals  that  are  now  in  man's  possession 
became  his  property  by  stratagem.  The  moment  that  a 
human  being  came  in  sight,  as  they  grazed  in  great  num- 
bers all  around  the  hole,  they  instantly  rushed  pell-mell 
into  it  and  disappeared.  Man  never  could  approach  them, 
but  was  determined  not  to  be  baffled.  At  last  he  killed  a 
dog ;  but  how  he  managed  to  do  so  is  not  stated.  He 
allowed  it  to  lie  for  a  few  days,  until  the  smell  became 
offensive,  and  then  carried  it  to  the  mouth  of  the  hole  with 
the  animals,  and  threw  it  in  and  drew  it  out,  and  draofged 
it  along  the  ground  for  a  long  distance  beyond  his  dwelling- 
place.  The  animals,  issuing  from  the  hole,  took  up  the 
scent  of  the  putrid  dog  with  curious  fear,  the  cattle  bellow- 
ing, the  horses  snorting,  and  the  other  animals  manifesting 
signs  of  excitement  peculiar  to  them.  As  the  animals 
rushed  past,  maddened  with  excitement,  the  watching  men 
cut  off  their  retreat,  then  went  riefht  in  amoni^^st  them,  and 
pressed  what  are  now  domestic  animals  into  enclosures 
prepared  for  them.  Thus  the  domestic  animals  came  into 
man's  possession.  I  must  not  be  supposed  to  reconcile  the 
inconsistencies  contained  in  these  fables. 

"  The  Kafir  story  of  the  creation  states  further  that  tlio 
oldest  son  of  the  father  of  all  was  a  Hottentot ;  the  second 


356  TIYO  SOGA. 

a  Kafii- ;  the  third  a  white  man.  No  creature  could  have 
been  more  happily  situated  than  the  Hottentot.  He 
revelled  in  the  abundance  of  his  father's  riches  and 
luxuries.  At  length,  by  reason  of  the  abundance  in  which 
he  moved,  he  grew  careless,  indolent,  and  utterly  regard- 
less. His  great  amusement  was  to  follow  the  honey-bird 
from  day  to  day  in  search  of  bee-hives.  One  day  he  went 
out  as  usual,  and  never  returned  to  his  father,  leaving 
everything  behind  him.  That  is  the  reason  given  why 
the  Hottentots  are  such  an  improvident  people. 

"  The  second  son,  the  Kafir,  took  a  special  liking  to 
cattle,  and  the  herding  of  them.  Cattle  ultimately  became 
his  inheritance;  and  when  he  came  of  age,  he  left  his 
father,  and  set  up  for  himself  That  is  why  the  Kafirs 
are  to  this  day  so  fond  of  cattle.  The  other  thing,  received 
from  his  father,  to  retain  for  ever  as  his  inalienable  pro- 
perty, was  Kafir  corn,  for  which  he  has  a  special  liking. 

"  While  the  oldest  son,  the  Hottentot,  was  pursuing  his 
v^andering  chase  after  the  honey-bird,  and  the  second 
son,  the  Kafir,  was  following  his  flocks  in  the  fields,  the 
youngest  son,  the  white  man,  was  always  at  home  with 
the  old  man,  his  father.  As  the  youngest,  he  was  a  great 
favourite.  He  was  constantly  in  his  father's  company, 
waiting  upon  him,  and  hearing  his  wise  talk.  In  this  way 
he  became  a  precocious  child.  His  father  poured  into  his 
*  soft  head '  all  the  treasures  of  wisdom  and  knowledge.  He 
told  him  everything;  showed  him  how  to  do  all  things;  and 
thus  the  white  man  was  far  in  advance  of  the  other  races. 
"  In  Kafir  stories  of  the  creation,  the  idea  is  that  the 
Creator  had  the  very  best  intentions  towards  the  human 
family,  and  wished  them  all  success  and  prosperity;  but 
his  intentions  were  always  frustrated  by  an  undefined 
enemy  of  man,   who   was  always   in   opposition  to   the 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  357 

Creator.  For  example:  when  he  created  a  useful  bee, 
that  enemy  opposed  to  it  the  troublesome  fly ;  when  he 
created  a  swallow,  the  enemy  presented  his  ugly  bat  in 
imitation;  when  an  eagle  soared  upwards  from  his  creating 
hands,  there  was  the  ghostly  owl  brought  forward,  with 
his  horrible  eyes,  and  death-inviting  voice  at  night.  The 
Creator's  good  purpose  was  to  give  man  an  endless  life  in 
this  world,  and  gave  it  forth  that  he  should  never  die. 
To  announce  this  great  message  to  his  creatures  he  sent 
the  chameleon.  Whilst  the  chameleon,  with  his  tardy 
and  trembling  paces,  was  on  his  mission,  the  enemy  of 
the  human  race  had  the  swift  rock -lizard  ready  as  his 
messenger,  to  tell  the  human  family  that  they  would  die. 
0  chameleon !  0  chameleon  !  Though  he  was  many  long 
days  in  advance  of  the  lizard,  the  swift  lizard  outran 
the  chameleon,  and  the  death-message  was  given  to  man, 
'Thou  shalt  die,  and  not  live.'  The  chameleon  arrived 
some  time  after,  and  told  the  human  family  of  his  mission; 
but  the  doom  had  already  been  pronounced,  and  now,  alas ! 
man  dies. 

'•'  It  might  have  been  well,  however,  for  the  human 
family,  but  for  another  misfortune.  One  day  there  was 
a  death  amongst  them.  There  was  great  lamentation  on 
account  of  this  calamity.  People  could  not  understand 
what  was  the  matter  with  the  lifeless  one;  they  could 
not  make  him  see,  or  hear,  or  speak,  or  eat,  or  walk,  or 
wake  him  up  from  the  strange  sleep.  So  they  set  up  a 
loud  lamentation,  which  echoed  far  and  near,  'Yo!  Yo! 
Yo  1  Yo  ! '  Some  one  standing  on  an  opposite  hill,  asked, 
'  Wherefore  do  ye  lament  ? '  The  answer  was,  '  A  human 
being  has  fainted,  or  fallen  into  a  trance.'  The  answer 
was,  '  Why  do  you  not  fan  ? '  '  What  with  ? '  asked  the 
mourners.     '  With  a  Kafir  basket-tray,'  was  the  answer 


358  TIYO   SOGA. 

of  man's  enemy.  When  the  messenger  from  the  Creator 
heard  that  answer  of  the  enemy,  he  was  so  offended  that 
he  said  no  more,  and  went  away.  Now  the  Kafirs  say, 
that  had  that  destroyer  of  all  things  not  given  his  own 
answer  to  the  question,  '  What  with?'  the  messenger  from 
the  Creator  who  had  asked  the  question,  '  Why  do  you 
not  fan  ? '  would  have  told  what  they  were  to  fan  with, 
and  that  would  have  brought  back  life  to  the  dead,  and 
immortality  would  have  been  secured." 

Tiyo  Soga  improved  his  talent  for  usefulness,  by  giving 
to  his  countrymen  some  of  the  best  sacred  songs  yet 
published  in  the  Kafir  language.  He  felt  the  great  lack 
of  hymns  on  Christian  experience  in  the  Presbyterian 
Kafir  Hymn  Book ;  and  he  endeavoured  to  remedy  this 
defect.  His  hymns  are  not  mere  translations,  but  the 
natural  outflow  of  his  own  religious  musings,  founded  on 
some  Scripture.  One  difficulty  against  which  he  and 
others  have  had  to  contend  in  the  Kafir  Hymnology  is, 
that  the  Kafir  people  as  a  nation  are  deficient  in  poetry 
and  music.  The  hymns  had  to  be  adapted  to  the  measure  of 
English  tunes,  and  the  result  is  that,  in  singing,  the  words 
are  not  accentuated  as  when  spoken.  Where  he  disregarded 
this  necessary  evil,  and  sought  rather  to  preserve  the 
natural  flow  and  rhythm  of  the  Kafir  language,  he  was 
eminently  successful.  Nothing  could  be  grander,  than  his 
exposition  in  verse  of  that  magnificent  outburst  of  the 
Hebrew  bard  and  prophet, "  Unto  us  a  child  is  born ;  unto 
us  a  son  is  given,"  or  more  plaintive  than  his  carol  entitled 
"  Heaven  my  home ; "  or  more  solemn  than  the  sacramental 
hymn  on  the  words  "  This  do  in  remembrance  of  me."  His 
hymns  entitled  "  Christ,  the  Christian's  Inheritance,"  "  A 
prayer  for  all  classes  and  conditions  of  men,"  "  A  Harvest 
Hymn,"  "  The  New  Year,"  and  many  others  which  he  has 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  359 

bequeathed  to  his  country,  will  long  continue  to  instruct 
the  reader,  even  although  the  contemplated  chaixres  in 
the  Kafir  service  of  song  necessitate  the  production  of 
hymns  adapted  to  foreign  music.  He  took  great  delif'ht 
in  this  work  ;  and  no  man  could  be  more  willing  to  receive 
suggestions  as  to  the  hymns  which  he  had  written. 

It  was  also  the  intention  of  Tiyo  Soga,  along  with  others, 
to  issue  a  series  of  brief  practical  expositions  of  the  parables 
of  our  Lord,  to  meet  a  want  being  gradually  felt  amongst 
the  Christian  natives  for  a  Christian  literature  in  their 
homes,  and  also  as  a  guide  to  evangelists,  in  their  prepara- 
tions for  addressing  their  countrymen  at  the  services  iu 
the  various  villages.  Only  two  expositions,  from  each  of 
those  concerned  in  the  work,  were  issued  at  the  Mount 
Coke  Wesleyan  press,  when  a  higher  hand  interposed  and 
arrested  the  work. 

When  Tiyo  Soga  became  aware  of  the  fact  that  he  was 
suffering  from  a  disease,  which  would  probably  shorten 
his  life,  he  was  strongly  desirous  to  devote  himself  to 
translation-work.  In  this  desire  he  was  encouraged  by 
many  associated  with  him  in  mission  work — conspicuous 
among  whom  was  the  Rev.  W.  Govan.  There  were 
several  theological  manuals,  and  such  like  works,  which 
he  had  a  special  longing  to  give  to  his  countrymen 
in  their  own  tongue.  Accordingly  we  find  him  writing 
to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Somerville,  in  March,  18G5  :  "  Could  I 
be  employed  upon  some  other  work  than  that  of  public 
speaking,  for  at  least  a  couple  of  years,  my  throat  might 
recover.  As  yet  the  chest  is  sound.  I  do  not  know  what 
Mr.  Laing  wrote  to  you ;  but  he  and  his  brethren,  and 
other  friends  have  long  expressed  a  desire  to  see  me 
engaged  in  translation-work,  and  thus  endeavour  to  lay 
the  foundation  for  a  native  literature  of  which  our  people 


SCO  TIYO   SOGA. 

are  in  great  need.  Since  this  affection  of  the  throat  has 
come  upon  me,  the  wish  to  translate  has  become  general. 
But  having  been  called  to  the  preaching  of  the  gospel, 
I  would  only  undertake  this  branch  of  Christian  work 
temporarily,  and  only  so  long  as  my  throat  remains  in 
its  present  state.  Should  there  be  no  hope  of  recovery  I 
might  then  take  it  up  wholly  until  the  end.  In  this, 
however,  I  would  be  guided  entirely  by  the  decision  of 
the  Board.  I  should  not  like  my  connection  with  my 
people  entirely  to  cease ;  nor  would  I  like  to  be  denied 
the  privilege  of  proclaiming  Christ  to  men,  unless  compelled 
to  do  so,  and  in  that  case  I  would  cheerfully  forego  them 
both.  Should  the  Board  be  disposed  to  take  up  this  idea, 
would  they  fix  a  brother  here,  to  whom  if,  by  the  will 
of  God,  it  came  to  the  worst,  I  would  most  gladly  hand 
over  the  charge  of  my  work  and  station.  There  is 
abundance  of  work  for  two  men  in  this  district  without 
encroaching  upon  each  other.  I  would  devolve  upon  him, 
for  a  time  at  least,  all  preaching  work,  and  the  charge  of 
the  whole  machinery  of  the  station  and  out-stations.  I 
would  also  desire  to  retain  my  position  as  senior  missionary 
on  the  station,  acting  with  my  younger  brother  in  all  that 
concerns  the  good  of  the  Kafirs,  Christian  and  heathen. 
This  I  would  crave  simply  for  a  time.  I  would  leave  it 
with  the  Board  to  make  any  arrangement  with  the  Free 
Church  brethren,  who  have  a  printing  press  at  Lovedale, 
how  I  should  do  the  work,  as  well  as  to  decide  whose 
property  the  translated  works  should  be.  There  are  many 
questions  involved  in  undertaking  such  a  work.  Mr. 
Govan  of  Lovedale  w^ould,  I  am  convinced,  gladly  consider 
the  matter  with  you  and  agree  to  any  proposal  you  would 
make,  as  he  is  most  anxious  that  I  should  be  encracred  on 
translation- work.    I  am  ready  to  act  as  the  Board  advises." 


LITERARY    LABOURS.  361 

In  1868,  a  proposal  was  made  by  the  British  and 
Foreign  Bible  Society  that  a  Board,  composed  of  a 
representative  from  each  of  the  seven  denominations 
labouring  among  the  Kafir  tribes,  should  at  once  be  formed 
to  revise  the  Kafir  Bible.  This  proposal  was  heartily 
agreed  to  by  the  Conference.  A  circular  was  then  sent 
by  the  Conference  to  the  heads  of  the  various  missions  in 
the  Colony,  detailing  the  circumstances,  and  requesting 
each  society  to  appoint  a  representative,  in  order  to  form 
a  Board  of  Revisers  of  the  Kafir  Bible.  The  United 
Presbyterian  missionaries,  in  reply  to  this  circular,  unani- 
mously appointed  Tiyo  Soga,  as  the  fittest  in  every  respect 
to  represent  them,  and  their  appointment  was  shortly 
thereafter  confirmed  by  the  Mission  Board  of  the  denomi- 
nation. Thus  Tiyo  found  himself  once  more  "one  of  seven," 
as  he  had  been  ere  he  left  the  shores  of  Scotland  as  an 
ordained  missionary. 

Tiyo  Soga  entered  into  this  fresh  field  of  work  with  all 
possible  enthusiasm.  It  was  a  work  peculiarly  congenial 
to  him,  and  he  brought  with  him  into  the  meetings  of 
the  Board  the  bright  sunshine  of  a  cheerful  and  willing 
workman.  He  was  greatly  gratified  in  being  permitted 
to  engage  on  so  great  and  glorious  a  work.  It  is  better, 
however,  to  listen  to  his  own  statement  of  the  pleasure, 
from  a  letter  addressed  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Somerville :  "  The 
most  important  work  with  me,  next  to  the  Sabbath  ser- 
vices, has  been  the  translation  of  the  Bible  into  the  Kafir 
language.  This  translation  is  the  joint  work  of  all  the 
denominations  carrying  on  missionary  operations  among 
the  Kafir  tribes  of  Southern  Africa.  Each  denomination 
is  represented  at  the  Board  of  Translators.  I,  as  you  are 
aware,  represent  our  Church.  The  denominations  engaged 
in  this  work  are  the  Church  of  England,  the  Free  Church 


3G2  TIYO  SOGA. 

of  Scotlaud,  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  the  Lutheran 
Church,  the  Moravian  Brethren,  the  London  Missionary 
Society,   and    the    Wesley  an    Society.      The    translators 
agreed,  at   their  first   meeting,   to   commence  with   the 
Gospels.      Up  to  tliis  point  the  work  has  gone   on  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  whole  Board.     The  desire  of  all  is, 
to  reach  the  result  aimed  at,  viz.,  the  production  of  an 
idiomatic  version  of  God's  Word  in  the  Kafir  language. 
The  greatest  possible  harmony  and  goodwill  have  pre- 
vailed.    The  translation  of  the  first  Gospel  was  slow  and 
tedious,  which  was  owing  to  the  fact  that,  from  the  first 
chapter  to  the  last,  we  had  to  proceed  with  care  and 
caution,  and  to  lay  down  rules  and  principles  of  rendering 
that  shall  apply  to  all  the  other  books.    We  had  to  fix  the 
shades  of  meaning  in  synonymous,  or  relative  terms  or 
words.     The  advantage,  from  what  the  translators  had 
done,  was  very  apparent,  in  the  comparative  ease  with 
which  the  work  was  executed  when  we  came  to  St.  Mark. 
We  are  now  translating  St.   Luke's  Gospel,  with  every 
prospect  of  getting  on  quite  as  well  with  this  book  as 
with  the  one  before  it.     It  will  not  be  long  before  the 
four  Gospels  are  in  the  hands  of  our  Kafir-reading  native 
population.     The  Elzivir  edition  of  the  Greek  Testament, 
by  Mill,  is  our  text-book  of  the  original,  so  as  to  be  in 
keeping  with  the  English  Bible.    May  God  help  us  in  this 
work  !    It  is  no  task ;  but  a  delightful  privilege  and  duty." 
Later  still,  he  Avrites  to  Dr.  Somerville  on  the  same 
subject: — "The  most  important  part  of  my  missionary 
work  is  yet  to  be  told  :  the  translation  of  the  Word  of  God 
into  Kafir.     1  am  still  in  the  midst  of  labours  connected 
with  this  great  and  responsible  work.     The  translation 
commenced  with  the  four  Gospels,  in  6th  April,  1869.    We 
have  had  three  sessions  over  Matthew,  one  session  over 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  3G3 

Mark,  two  sessions  over  Luke,  one  session  over  John. 
The  four  Gospels  are  now  completed.  In  our  next  session, 
early  in  March,  1871,  we  take  up  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
as  far  as  chapter  xiv.  We  then  take  up  the  four  Gospels 
for  a  final  revision,  and  harmonising  of  them,  and  proceed 
to  print  them.  When  we  get  to  the  end  of  chapter  x.  of 
the  Acts,  we  shall  have  done  the  half  of  the  New  Testa- 
ment. We  have  already  been,  twenty  months  at  this  work. 
It  takes  us  away  four  times  in  the  year  from  our  stations. 
Are  the  results  satisfactory  ?  I  hardly  know.  All  that  I 
can  declare  with  a  grateful  heart  to  God  is,  that  the  work 
has  been  most  carefully  prosecuted,  both  in  preparation 
for  it  by  the  individual  members,  and  by  the  executive 
Board;  that  the  spirit  of  harmony,  brotherly  kindness, 
charity,  mutual  confidence  and  dependence  has  pervaded 
all  our  meetings.  Whether  the  work  be  small  in  propor- 
tion to  the  time  spent  upon  it,  I  feel  that  our  experience 
has  been  enlarged  for  further  service ;  and  if  one  may 
judge  from  good  to  his  own  soul  and  delight  in  the  work, 
the  blessing  of  our  heavenly  Father  has  not  been  withheld 
from  us.  Such  are  the  results  of  our  translation-labours. 
We  greatly  need  the  presence  and  blessing  of  God  the 
Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  the 
prayers,  sympathies,  and  encouragement  of  all  who  love 
the  Lord  Jesus  in  sincerity." 

The  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson  had  asked  Tiyo  Soga  to  translate 
the  Gospel  according  to  John,  and  ofiered  to  defray  the 
expense  of  its  publication.  In  reply  to  that  generous 
ofier,  Tiyo  Soga  writes  to  Dr.  Anderson : — "  Seven  mission- 
aries of  seven  denominations,  labouring  among  the  Kafir 
tribes,  are  now  engaged  in  this  great  and  blessed  work. 
I  represent  the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  The  forming 
of  the  text,  tfiat  is  the  composition  into  Kafir,  after  we 


304  TIYO   SOGA. 

have  all  ascertained  the  meaning  of  the  original  Greek,  is 
left  to  Bryce  Ross  and  myself.  On  this  matter  we  are 
very  particular,  I  may  almost  say  determined,  to  allow 
nothing  but  what  is  pure  and  idiomatic  into  our  future 
Kafir  version.  I  have  no  faith  in  a  translation  into 
any  foreign  language,  which  has  been  the  work  of  one 
translator ;' and  I  have  no  faith  if  that  translation  has 
been  made  by  a  man  who  acquired  the  language,  into 
which  he  translates,  after  he  was  17  years  of  age.  There 
may,  of  course,  be  men  of  great  mental  endowments  and 
capabilities;  but  no  man  can  acquire  such  a  thorough 
knowledge  of  a  foreign  language,  after  he  is  17  years  of 
age,  as  to  know  it  better  than  those  to  whom  it  is  their 
vernacular.  I  began  the  study  of  English  when  I  was  15 
years  old,  and  any  man  who  would  say  that  I  am  more 
competent  to  give  a  pure  version  of  the  English  Bible  for 
the  English  people  than  an  English-born  man,  commits  a 
great  mistake.  Were  I  to  claim  a  perfect  knowledge  of 
the  English  language,  I  would  be  considered  by  English 
people  to  be  beside  myself,  and  they  would  judge  rightly. 
"  The  seven  missionaries  of  the  seven  denominations 
have  completed  the  translation  of  the  Gospel  according  to 
Matthew.  Shortly  before  we  commenced  the  work  of 
translation,  you  most  generously  offered  to  print,  at  your 
own  expense,  1 000  copies  of  the  Gospel  according  to  St. 
John,  if  I  would  undertake  the  translation.  In  other 
circumstances  I  would  have  gladly  accepted  your  offer. 
But  we  are  now  engaged  with  one  soul  and  spirit  on  that 
common  work.  As  the  Gospel  of  Matthew  is  ready  for 
the  press,  will  you  not  rather  help  us  with  it,  as  you  would 
have  done  with  that  of  John  ?  We  wish  to  publish,  as  a 
tentative  edition,  1000  copies  of  Matthew,  for  circulation, 
until  the  whole  of  the  New  Testament  is  completed.     The 


LITERARY   LABOURS.  805 

orthographical  changes,  which  we  have  recently  introduced, 
require  that  the  printing  should  be  under  our  own  super- 
intendence in  this  country." 

To  Kobert  Miller,  Esq.,  of  London,  who  sent  a  donation 
to  Tiyo,  to  assist  the  Board  of  Revisers  in  issuing  a  tenta- 
tive edition  of  the  work  which  they  had  finished,  he  writes 
in  August,  1870:  "I  have  sent  you,  by  this  mail,  our 
translation  of  the  Gospel  according  to  Matthew.  With 
God's  good  blessing,  we  have  completed  those  of  Mark  and 
Luke ;  and  at  our  next  session,  in  November,  we  take  up 
that  of  St.  John.  When  the  four  Gospels  are  finished,  we 
propose  at  present  to  send  them  out  to  our  Kafir-reading 
population  as  the  glad  tidings  of  our  blessed  and  adorable 
Redeemer,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ.  We  hope  to  finish  the 
Gospel  of  John  in  one  session  of  a  month's  duration.  The 
Kafir  of  our  present  version  is  Saxon  Kafir,  as  you  English 
people  say  of  your  purest  writings.  Please  to  examine  it  for 
yourself  However,  all  pleasantr}?"  apart,  the  Lord  is  helping 
us  on  in  our  work ;  and  it  is  as  pure  and  idiomatic  as  tkree 
Kaffirarian  born  and  Kafir-speaking  translators  can  make  it. 
In  laying  down  the  text,  we  may  be  considered  inexorable. 
We  often  find  that  the  Kafir  idiom  comes  nearer  to  the 
Greek  than  the  English ;  and  this  we  must  preserve, 
although  we  may  now  and  then  be  dragged  down  to  the 
English  idiom.  But  what  harmony  and  Christian  goodwill 
and  brotherly  kindness  prevail  in  our  midst !" 

Referring  to  the  same  work,  he  writes  to  the  Rev. 
Henry  Miller :  "  I  would  have  spent  sleepless  nights  in 
Scotland,  studying  Greek  and  Hebrew,  if  I  had  known 
that  I  would  take  part  in  this  blessed  work.  Dr.  Anderson, 
to  the  deUght  and  gratitude  of  the  Translating  Board,  has 
given  £14  towards  the  printing  of  a  tentative  edition  of 
St.  Matthew.     When  the  whole  work  is  completed,  the 


366  TIYO  SOGA. 

British  and  Foreign  Bible  Society  take  it  over  for  publi- 
cation. When  we  have  completed  the  four  Gospels,  and 
issued  them  as  one  volume,  I  shall  thank  God  and  take 
courage ;  for  all  that  man  needs  to  know  concerning  the 
vital  points  of  salvation,  is  compressed  within  that  short 
compnss." 

Alas  !  he  was  not  privileged  to  see  the  realization  of  his 
fond  wish.  He  lived  to  see  the  completion  of  the  four 
Gospels,  but  not  their  publication  and  circulation  among 
his  countrymen.  The  Rev.  John  W.  Appleyard,  who  had 
translated  the  present  Kafir  Bible,  lived  to  take  part  in 
the  revision  of  the  whole  New  Testament,  and  was  then 
taken  to  his  reward.  Man  proposes,  but  God  disposes. 
Little  did  these  seven  representatives,  who  first  composed 
the  Board,  know  what  changes  would  shortly  take  place 
in  their  circle.  Ere  their  work  had  far  advanced  one,  and 
then  a  second,  ceased  from  their  labours  ;  others  were 
removed  to  distant  spheres  of  usefulness ;  and  when  the 
translation  of  the  Old  Testament  was  begun,  only  two  of 
the  original  members  remained  on  the  Board. 

Such  were  some  of  Tiyo  Soga's  efforts  to  influence  his 
countrymen  for  good;  and  such  were  some  of  his  literary 
labours  on  their  behalf.  What  greater  work  can  any  man 
acliieve,  than  to  assist  a  fellow-mortal  to  see  in  the  four 
Gus{)els,  and  in  the  Pilgrim's  Progress,  how  he  may  "  rise 
on  stepping-stones  to  higher  things  ?"  If  Tiyo  Soga  has, 
through  the  press,  done  such  work,  it  cannot  be  gauged 
by  any  human  standard,  as  the  day  of  the  Lord  alone 
shall  disclose  the  full  results. 


CHAPTER   XIX. 

HIS    REMOVAL   FROM   THE   MGWALI. 

"Home  in  the  world  St.  Paul  had  none.  With  a  capacity  for  the  ten- 
derest  feelings  of  our  nature,  he  had  chosen  for  his  lot  the  task  of  living 
among  strangers  ;  and  as  soon  as  they  ceased  to  be  strangers,  quitting 
them  again." 

Ever  since  the  two  Presbyterian  missions  responded  to 
Kreli's  call,  in  1865,  they  made  stated  visits,  at  quarterly 
intervals,  to  the  Galeka  tribe,  and  thereby  kept  the  tield 
open.  An  application  had  been  made  to  the  United  Pres- 
byterian Church  for  a  missionary.  The  cry,  "  Come  over 
and  help  us,"  from  the  country  of  the  Galeka,  seemed  to  be 
unheeded.  Were  volunteers  required  to  go  to  Abyssinia, 
India,  or  China,  to  fight  the  battles  of  Queen  Victoria,  a 
thousand  voices  would  answer  instantly,  and  the  flower  of 
England's  army  would  boldly  and  cheerfully  step  forward 
"  to  do  and  die."  The  sons  of  nobles  also  would  esteem  it 
an  honour  to  espouse  their  country's  cause.  Such  is  the 
heroism  of  England's  warriors,  that  no  sooner  is  a  section 
of  them  ordered  to  go  on  foreign  service,  than  officers  and 
soldiers  of  other  regiments  besiefje  the  War  Office  to  effect 
an  exchange  with  those  already  chosen.  Not  so  cheerfully 
do  men  volunteer  in  the  service  of  Christ.  Not  so  readily 
did  preachers  and  students  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church  come  to  the  help  of  the  Lord — to  the  help  of  the 
Lord  against  the  mighty.  After  waiting  for  two  years, 
Kreli  became  impatient,  and  sent  repeatedly  to  inquire 


368  TIYO  SOGA. 

wh}^  a  teacher  had  not  come  to  instruct  his  people.  This 
led  the  missionaries  of  both  Churches  to  decide  upon  the 
immediate  occupation  of  the  field. 

From  this  point,  to  the  establishment  of  the  mission 
station  in  Kreli's  country,  Tiyo  Soga  has  minutely  detailed 
the  various  incidents.  Writing  to  the  Rev.  Dr.  Somerville, 
on  9th  April,  1867,  he  says:  "  I  wish  to  intimate  to  you 
briefly  that  I  am  on  the  eve  of  another  important  visit  to 
the  chief  Kreli.  Last  month,  at  a  conference  with  the 
Free  Church  brethren  at  Lovedale,  we  decided  to  take  up 
the  field  among  Kreli's  people.  It  had  come  to  the  point 
of  immediate  occupation,  even  temporarily,  or  a  total 
abandonment  of  it.  The  chief  was  sending  message  after 
message,  asking  the  cause  of  the  delay,  and  telling  us  that 
he  was  pressed  to  admit  others  into  the  field.  This  he 
said  he  would  not  do,  until  the  Presbyterian  missionaries 
had  declined  his  off'er.  He  is  determined  to  admit  only 
one  missionary  society  into  his  country,  and  to  allow  it 
room  gradually  to  extend.  The  evils  of  having  different 
societies  among  the  same  tribe,  he  says,  have  been  mani- 
fest in  other  tribes ;  and  in  his  country  there  shall  be  no 
such  evils. 

"  At  the  Conference,  the  united  missionaries  resolved  at 
once  to  proceed  to  the  field.  They  agreed  to  form  a 
station,  and  to  relieve  one  another,  every  three  months, 
until  the  permanent  occupants  arrived.  Two  brethren  are 
to  go  together,  alternately  from  each  denomination.  The 
Rev.  W.  Govan  and  I  were  ast^ed  by  the  Conference  to 
commence  tliis  great  mission.  I  accepted  the  appointment 
with  anxiety,  at  the  same  time  feeling  thankful  for  such 
a  fellow-missionary  as  Mr.  Govan.  With  God's  good 
blessing  upon  us,  we  go  far  hence  among  the  Gentiles, 
where  in  truth   Satan   has  his  seat.     After  beincj  three 


HIS   REMOVAL   FROM   THE   MGWALI.  369 

months  upon  the  field,  I  shall  forward  a  full  report.  It 
was  further  agreed  by  the  missionaries  that  three  temporary 
huts  should  be  erected — two  for  the  missionaries — and 
the  third  to  serve  as  a  place  of  worship ;  the  expenses  to 
be  equally  divided  betwixt  the  two  societies." 

From  Kreli's  country,  he  writes  to  Dr.  Somerville,  on 
29th  May,  1867.  "At  the  Conference  of  missionaries, 
when  the  immediate  occupation  of  Kreli's  country  was 
resolved  upon,  it  was  agreed  that  the  two  pioneer  brethren 
should  be  accompanied  by  as  many  others  as  could 
conveniently  leave  their  homes  for  a  few  days.  The  object 
was  to  make  an  imposing  and  dignified  entrance  into 
the  field.  Some  may  consider  this  a  mere  show  and 
parade;  but  such  things  have  a  grave  importance  with 
the  Kafirs.  Besides,  to  a  missionary,  the  countenance  and 
support  of  brethren,  in  a  new  and  trying  situation,  are  of 
great  consequence. 

"As  Mr.  Sclater  would  leave  the  Mgwali  about  the 
time  that  the  other  missionaries  proceed  to  the  Galeka 
country,  it  was  arranged  to  take  the  Fingoes  on  the 
way,  and  formally  to  introduce  him  to  the  chiefs  of  the 
localities  in  his  future  sphere  of  labour.  It  was  found, 
however,  that  the  only  brethren  who  could  accompany  us 
to  Kreli's  country  were  Mr.  R.  Ross  of  Lovedale,  and  Mr. 
James  Davidson,  who  had  just  left  .King  William's  Town, 
to  take  Mr.  Sclater's  place  at  the  Mgwali.  Two  elders  of 
my  church  also  went  with  us.  As  destined  to  be  for  a 
time,  far  from  home,  I  arranged  to  take  Mrs.  Soga  and  two 
of  our  younger  children.  We  accordingly  started  in  our 
waggons  for  the  Mbulu  on  10th  April,  and  the  brethren 
followed  next  day  on  horseback.  During  Mr  Sclater's 
temporary  absence,  Mr.  Chalmers  and  I  had  many  weari- 
some rides,  and  as  wearisome  talks,  to  recover  the  field  in 

2a 


370  TIYO  SOGA. 

Moni's  country  from  the  intrusion  of  a  missionary  of 
another  denomination.  Moni  the  chief  had  so  involved 
himself,  by  promises  to  this  missionary,  that  it  was  quite 
a  trying  labour  to  keep  him  to  his  previous  promises  to 
ourselves.  We  very  nearly  lost  our  good  opinion  of  him ; 
and  nearly  lost  a  good  station.  We  would  not  yield  the 
claims  which  we  had  upon  Moni,  although  it  was  painful 
to  come  into  collision  with  another  denomination.  We 
maintained  that  as  we  were  first  on  the  field,  the  reasons 
for  relinquishing  it  must  be  very  conclusive.  Mr.  Chalmers 
and  I  took  six  distinct  journeys  to  talk  the  matter  over 
and  over  again  with  Moni  and  his  people.  At  last  the 
field  was  declared  ours.  Mr.  Sclater  has  entered  upon 
a  promising  and  most  desirable  field,  and  with  the  sym- 
pathy, support,  and  good  wishes  of  all  his  brethren  and 
fellow-labourers. 

"  The  14th  April,  Lord's  day,  found  us  beyond  the  Tsomo 
at  the  Tyinira,  where  there  is  a  goodly  number  of  our 
former  people.  The  district  belongs  to  the  Wesleyans. 
Mr.  Ross  and  I  went  to  different  points  to  preach,  whilst 
Messrs.  Govan  and  Davidson  conducted  services  at  the 
kraal,  which  for  the  time  was  our  home.  Thus  usefully 
we  tried  to  employ  the  peaceful  rest  of  the  Lord's  day. 
At  this  place  I  found  some  of  my  late  Mgwali  people,  who 
are  now  enquirers.  They  left  the  station,  making  no 
profession  of  religion,  and  with  no  likelihood  of  doing  so, 
so  far  as  I  could  see.  I  thought  that  they  had  left  to 
escape  the  restraints,  consequent  upon  a  profession  of 
godliness.  But  there,  the  seed  had  been  sown ;  and  now 
it  had  sprung  up  to  bear  fruit  in  this  moral  wilderness 
to  the  glory  of  God.  The  Good  Shepherd  of  the  sheep 
knows,  when  and  how,  to  bring  His  '  other  sheep '  into 
the  fold,  and  when  the  under  shepherds  think  of  them 


HIS   REMOVAL   FROM   THE   MGWALI.  371 

as  going  into  the  jaws  of  the  wolf  and  the  lion.  I  could 
not  help  adoring  the  wisdom  and  foreknowledge  of  God  in 
the  wonderful  disposal  of  our  late  people,  in  the  Fingoe 
portion  of  the  Transkeian  territory.  They  have  well 
prepared  the  way  of  the  Lord.  When  they  quitted  our 
stations,  we  thought  that  injury  was  being  done  to  our 
churches.  We  have  found,  however,  that  to  the  itinerating 
missionary  their  scattered  homes  form  quiet  resting-places, 
where  a  cup  of  cold  water  is  given  in  the  name  of  a 
disciple.  We  enquire,  as  we  proceed  on  our  journeys, 
where  such  and  such  people  reside ;  when  we  make  our 
appearance  among  them,  they  overwhelm  us  with  kind- 
ness, and  joyfully  give  us  such  things  as  they  have. 
The  tie  that  is  formed  betwixt  man  and  man,  by  the 
bond  of  the  one  common  faith,  is  like  no  other  in  this 
selfish  world. 

"  When  we  reached  Kreli's  country,  we  found  that 
although  we  had  a  choice  of  two  places  on  our  last 
visit,  that  the  chief  and  his  councillors  had  fixed  on 
the  Tutuka.  This  place  is  well  spoken  of;  and  capti- 
vating accounts  have  been  brought  by  our  elders,  of 
its  desirableness.  The  choice  was  made  by  the  chief 
and  his  councillors;  and  so  we  had  only  to  accept  it 
with  thanks. 

"  On  19th  April,  we  had  an  interview  with  the  chief  and 
his  councillors  at  the  British  Kesidency.  At  this  interview, 
Mr.  Go  van,  as  the  senior  missionary,  stated  that  our  object 
was  to  preach  in  Kafir  the  Word  of  God  to  his  people;  but 
that  we  would  also  teach  them  to  read  and  write  the 
English  language.  We  would  also  introduce  some  of  the 
useful  arts ;  but  this  matter  mainly  rested  with  the  chief, 
and  his  people.  Our  great  object  was  to  make  known  the 
Word  of  God,  for  their  salvation,  and  it  would  be  our  aim 


372  TIYO  SOGA. 

and  endeavour,  to  train  up  some  of  those  who  may  embrace 
the  gospel,  as  teachers  of  their  countrymen.  He  stated 
further  that  if  any  of  his  people  should  become  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  God's  word,  they  must  be  at  liberty  to 
receive  and  obey  it,  and  that,  as  their  chief,  he  would  not 
allow  them  to  be  troubled,  and  persecuted,  on  forsaking 
most  of  the  customs  of  their  countrymen.  Such  persons 
would  continue  under  the  authority  of  the  chief  in  all 
lawful  things ;  we  would  not  introduce  any  person  into 
the  country,  without  the  chief's  consent,  and  would  claim 
no  control  over  any  land  in  his  country,  except  such  as 
may  be  allowed  to  the  missionaries  and  teachers,  for  houses 
and  agricultural  purposes. 

"  It  was  necessary,  plainly  to  state  some  of  these  points, 
as  the  chief  is  very  jealous  of  his  authority,  and  the 
question  of  land  is  with  him  one  of  vital  importance,  as 
all  but  a  third  of  his  former  country  has  been  given  to 
the  Fingoes  and  Tambookies. 

"The  chief  replied,  that  all  missionaries  introduced 
themselves  in  the  same  way ;  that  what  we  had  said  had 
been  stated  by  others  before  us ;  but  as  time  went  on,  a 
rupture  followed  with  reference  to  the  people  and  the 
land,  and  thus  the  chief  gradually  lost  his  influence  over 
his  people,  and  his  right  over  the  land  which  he  had  given 
them  for  a  settlement ;  that  the  people  preferred  another 
authority  to  his,  and  then  took  away  his  land  with  them, 
and  he  gave  several  illustrations  of  such  things.  Our 
simple  answer  was,  that  we  were  not  responsible  for  the 
acts  of  others.  After  a  little  friendly  conversation,  we 
were  fonnally  welcomed  by  the  councillor  Maki,  in  a  few 
well-chosen  words,  and  the  site  assigned  to  us  was  at  the 
Tutuka.  In  the  afternoon,  we  proceeded  on  our  journey 
to  our  future  resting-place." 


HIS   REMOVAL  FROM  THE  MGWALI.  373 

These  two  missionaries  remained  at  the  Tutuka  until 
the  end  of  June,  and  itinerated  among  the  surrounding 
villages.  They  preached  the  Gospel,  erected  huts  for 
shelter,  and  endeavoured,  by  prayer  and  effort,  to  lay 
a  solid  foundation.  A  few  extracts  from  Tiyo  Soga's 
Journal  show  the  nature  of  their  work : — 

"  Lord's  day,  21st  April. — This  first  Sabbath  in  our  new 
field  was,  in  outward  appearances,  rather  uninteresting. 
The  people  of  the  kraal  in  which  we  have  put  up  for  a 
while  seem  shy.  They  evidently  do  not  care  for  our 
intrusion.  This  reception  is  not  unexpected.  What 
interest  can  they  have  in  us,  or  our  cause,  until  they 
know  better  ?  I  hope  that  we  shall  soon  be  friends.  The 
first  duty  of  missionaries,  in  an  untried  field,  is  to  gain 
the  confidence  of  the  people.  The  itinerating  parties, 
who  had  gone  out  early  to  invite  our  near  neighbours  to 
service,  did  not  return  with  welcome  news.  The  greater 
part  of  the  people  had  taken  refuge  at  St.  Mark's,  a 
Church  of  England  mission  station,  during  the  famine 
of  the  cattle-killing  mania.  Some  of  them  have  imbibed 
the  most  inveterate  prejudices  against  the  Word,  the 
Sabbath,  and  its  services.  They  declared  to  our  messen- 
gers that  these  things  had  driven  them  from  St.  Mark's ; 
that  they  had  come  to  their  own  country  for  peace  and 
quietness;  and  they  deemed  it  a  misfortune  that  they 
should  be  followed  everywhere.  What  an  indication 
of  the  natural  ungodliness  of  the  human  heart !  to  call 
sweet  bitter,  and  to  regard  as  a  curse  the  richest  of 
all  blessings.  We  are  sure  that  these  views  will  change 
before  very  long.  The  outspoken  opposition  of  sinful 
human  nature  surprises  us  less  now,  than  when  we  first 
encountered  it.  These  people  were  as  good  as  their  word, 
and  did  not  come.     We  saw  bands  of  them,  passing  along 


374  TIYO   SOGA. 

with  jaunty  airs,  towards  a  kraal  two  miles  off,  to  attend 
a  marriage-dance. 

"  Loi^d's  day,  28th  April. — I  went  out  early  to  the 
neighbouring  kraals  to  invite  the  people  to  service.  They 
were  very  unwilling  to  come.  A  chief  of  the  name  of 
Madikana,  who  welcomed  us  on  our  arrival,  was  the  only 
person  who  gave  me  encouragement.  He  followed  me  to 
the  Tutuka,  with  an  attendant,  and  was  present  at  the 
service.  There  were  seventeen  Ka&s  present.  Mr.  Govan 
and  I  addressed  them. 

"  7th  May. — We  have  been  very  busy  during  the  past 
weeks  buildino^  our  huts.  Mr.  Govan  looks  after  the 
finances  and  the  purchase  of  building  material,  such  as 
wattles,  thatch,  poles,  ropes,  &c.  I  direct  the  construction 
of  the  huts,  which  are  built  on  an  improved  principle. 
The  Kafirs,  in  great  numbers,  bring  us  the  material — the 
women  especially.  I  remarked  to  Mr.  Govan  that  never 
before  in  his  life  had  he  had  such  a  crowd  of  ladies 
attending  upon  him,  as  now  and  daily.  They  declare 
they  never  saw  a  man  with  so  many  threepences  and 
sixpences  as  Mr.  Govan,  and  are  baffled  to  understand 
where  they  have  come  from.  One  woman  came  running 
to  me  with  a  very  doubtful  expression  on  her  countenance. 
She  held  a  new  sixpence  in  one  hand,  and  an  old  worn-out 
one  in  the  other.  She  asked  me  to  tell  her  why  the  white 
man  there  said  they  were  of  the  same  value,  when  they 
were  so  unlike  ?  I  explained  to  her.  She  insisted  that 
it  could  not  be,  as  the  one  had  things  marked  on  both 
sides  of  it,  whilst  the  other  had  not.  She  thought  we 
were  taking  advantage  of  her.  However,  after  talking 
to  her,  and  after  she  had  been  heartily  laughed  at  by  the 
Kafir  men  for  being  such  a  big  fool,  she  became  satisfied 
that  all  was  riirht. 


HIS   REMOVAL   FROM   THE   MGWALI.  375 

"5th  May. — I  went  to  the  Free  Church  mission  station 
among  the  Fingoes  at  the  Toleni,  and  preached  to  the 
people.  The  large  hut  was  filled  by  an  attentive  audience 
from  the  adjoining  kraals.  They  were  very  attentive  to 
the  word  of  exhortation  from  the  text :  '  A  son  honoureth 
his  father,  and  a  servant  his  master,'  &c.  At  mid-day,  I 
held  a  large  gathering  of  the  Christian  people  of  the 
Toleni  districts,  beside  a  bush  where  the  station  is  to  be 
formed.  I  could  not  but  mark  the  different  feelings  with 
which  a  minister  addresses  a  Christian  audience  and  a 
heathen  audience.  In  the  one  case,  he  may  give  his 
experiences  of  Christian  feelings,  thoughts,  and  desires  to 
a  people  who  will  understand  them  in  some  measure.  In 
the  other  case,  such  experiences  would  be  wholly  lost. 
He  must  adopt  a  line  of  preaching  or  speaking  which 
suits  the  circumstances.  Sometimes  he  must  reason,  to 
convince;  at  other  times  he  must  alarm,  to  induce  anxiety 
and  uneasiness  in  the  mind ;  while  at  other  times  again, 
he  must  carefully  instruct  in  the  higher  doctrines  of 
revelation.  I  felt  an  untold  relief  in  speaking  to  our 
Christian  friends  at  the  Toleni.  They  sang  the  songs 
of  Zion  with  heart  and  will.  Our  heathen  Galekas  here, 
on  hearing  these  songs,  often  just  stare  at  us  and  at 
each  other. 

"  Lord's  Day,  19th  May. — For  the  first  time,  since  our 
arrival,  I  went  to  the  Great  Place  to  attempt  to  preach  the 
Gospel.  The  place  is  eight  miles  distant  from  the  Tutuka. 
I  confess  to  some  concern,  having  never  before  preached 
formally  to  the  proud  councillors  of  the  great  chief  I 
had  resolved,  however,  to  adopt  no  roundabout  method  of 
trying  to  accomplish  my  object ;  but  to  tell  the  chief,  at 
the  very  outset,  that  I  came  to  hold  Divine  service  at  the 
Great  Place. 


376  TIYO  SOGA. 

"  I  found  the  chief  sitting  somewhat  apart  from  a  great 
gathering  of  councillors.  Having  saluted  him  according 
to  my  country's  customs,  I  went  some  short  distance  from 
them,  and  off-saddled.  I  sat  for  five  minutes,  surveying 
the  scene  in  a  quiet  way.  A  man  was  then  sent  to 
inquire  the  purport  of  my  visit.  I  stated  it.  There  was 
at  once  the  most  pleasing  readiness  to  meet  my  wishes  in 
the  matter.  As  the  day  was  rather  windy,  they  proposed 
that  we  should  meet  in  a  hut,  to  which  I  agreed.  The 
chief  asked  a  younger  brother  of  his,  sitting  near  him,  to 
go  himself  and  gather  the  people.  In  such  a  case,  the 
word  of  the  chief  is  supreme  ;  consequently,  the  hut  was 
filled  to  suffocation.  I  refused  to  allow  any  more  to  enter. 
Kreli  was  an  attentive  listener,  and  at  times  seemed 
absorbed  in  thought.  I  have  noticed  that  those  Kafirs 
who  have  much  to  do  in  the  management  of  their  public 
affairs,  whether  in  hearing  law  cases  or  in  discussing 
political  matters,  best  remember  what  they  hear.  If  you 
speak  sense,  these  men  are  sure  to  understand  thoroughly, 
although  they  may  not  receive  your  message.  I  was  not 
only  most  cordially  received,  but  was  told  that  the  mis- 
sionaries, having  begun  their  work,  would  be  expected 
hereafter  to  preach  at  the  Great  Place  on  Sabbath.  I 
never  felt  more  thankful  to  our  gracious  Lord  than  for 
the  issue  of  this  day's  anxiety  and  uneasiness.  The  ice 
is  now  broken.  We  are  expected  to  preach  at  the  Great 
Place.  We  were  told  further  that,  as  a  marriage-dance 
might  come  in  our  way,  it  would  be  better  always  to 
send  a  messenger  on  the  Saturday  previous,  so  that  we 
may  not  be  disappointed.  They  said  that  the  people  did 
not  care  to  be  stopped  in  a  ceremonious  dance,  as  it  was 
inconvenient.  They  would,  therefore,  prefer  to  know 
beforehand  of  our  coming." 


HIS  REMOVAL   FROM  THE  MGWALI.  377 

As  the  nature  of  this  new  mission  field  was  better 
understood  by  the  Presbyterian  missionaries,  it  became 
apparent  that  it  was  beset  with  grave  difficulties;  and 
although,  by  this  time,  there  was  a  prospect  of  other  mis- 
sionaries coming  from  Scotland,  it  was  deemed  important 
that  a  man  of  some  experience  should  be  the  first  mis- 
sionary. Moreover,  the  chief  decidedly  objected  to  a 
missionary  of  whom  he  knew  nothing.  He  wished  one 
who  could  speak  the  language;  and  distinctly  declared 
that  Tiyo  Soga  was  the  man  of  his  choice. 

When  the  united  missionaries  met  in  King  William's 
Town,  on  4th  July,  1867,  to  receive  the  report  of  Messrs. 
Govan  and  Soga's  three  months'  service,  they  also  con- 
sidered the  question  of  appointing  a  permanent  missionary 
at  the  Tutuka  without  delay.  It  was  evident  that  one 
should  be  appointed  who  was  thoroughly  master  of  the 
Kafir  language,  and  was  familiar  with  the  customs, 
thoughts,  and  feelings  of  the  Kafir  people.  They 
therefore  resolved  "  that  Tiyo  Soga  is  the  person  who 
should  be  requested  to  undertake  this  work,  as  it  is 
known  that  his  appointment  would  be  highly  acceptable 
to,  and  is  earnestly  desired  and  even  expected  by,  Kreli 
and  his  people." 

When  the  matter  was  laid  before  Tiyo  Soga,  he  at  once 
complied  with  the  request  of  his  brethren.  They  there- 
upon drew  up  a  letter  to  the  Mission  Board  of  the  United 
Presbyterian  Church,  detailing  the  deliberations  of  the 
conference,  the  resolutions  passed  at  it,  and  asking  the 
Board  to  sanction  the  appointment  of  Tiyo  Soga  to  this 
important  work — a  work  to  which  they  considered  he  had 
been  called  by  a  remarkable  concurrence  of  providential 
indications.  They  likewise  expressed  the  high  opinion, 
which  they  entertained  of  his  "  worth  as  a  man,  and  of  his 


378  TIYO   SOGA. 

piety  and  zeal  as  a  Christian  and  a  Christian  missionary." 
The  men  who  attended  this  conference,  and  signed  the 
document  to  the  Mission  Board  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Church,  were  William  Govan,  James  Laing,  Bryce  Ross, 
Richard  Ross,  James  Stewart,  and  A.  M'Diarmid  of  the 
Free  Church ;  and  John  A.  Chalmers,  John  Sclater,  and 
James  Davidson  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church.  Tiyo 
Soga  has  written  upon  this  subject : — 

"The  reasons  which  induce  me  to  comply  with  the 
request  of  my  fellow-missionaries  are  these  : — that  I  was 
asked  to  go  by  them  and  also  by  the  chief  Kreli  and  his 
councillors,  which  I  consider  a  call  from  our  Master,  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.  I  stated  that  I  had  no  personal  desire 
to  go  to  that  field,  and  never  thought  that  I  was  in  any 
way  qualified  for  such  a  post,  which  will  require  the 
exercise  of  no  ordinary  wisdom.  Nevertheless,  if  my 
brethren  think  that  I  should  go  to  that  new  field,  I  shall 
try  it  with  the  help  of  God.  I  do  not  speak  of  sacrifices, 
which  I  would  make  by  going  beyond  the  Kei.  I  became 
a  missionary,  not  for  the  sake  of  my  family,  but  for  the 
sake  of  my  poor  countrymen ;  and  when  their  spiritual 
necessities  demand  my  poor  services,  I  am  willing  to  obey 
the  call.  As  to  sacrifices,  the  missionary  has,  as  I  consider, 
no  home  on  earth;  and  when  health  permits,  and  duty 
calls,  he  must  be  ready  to  serve. 

"  I  stated  to  the  brethren,  that  my  only  hesitation  was 
as  to  the  state  of  my  health,  which  had  been  failing  for 
some  time  past,  though  now  greatly  improved.  I  had  long 
ceased  to  look  at  the  bright  side  of  life,  or  to  promise  myself 
many  days.  In  my  illness,  I  found  the  greatest  comfort 
in  having  no  will  of  mine  own,  but  the  Lord's,  as  to  life  or 
death.  At  present  I  am  well.  If,  therefore,  I  can  be  of 
any  use  in  introducing  the  Gospel  and  white  missionaries 


HIS   REMOVAL   FROM  THE  MGWALI.  879 

among  my  countrymen  beyond  the  Kei,  I  am  willing  to 
try  it,  though  life  should  be  short.  As  to  sacrifices,  1  stated 
that  I  could  not  consider  them  for  a  moment  when  I  was 
asked  by  such  men,  who  had  made  greater  sacrifices  for  me 
and  my  people,  and  had  left,  in  distant  homes,  far  more 
than  I  could  leave  here.  The  call  of  these  good  men, 
some  of  whom  have  become  grey  in  the  Master's  service 
among  the  Kafirs,  was  enough  for  me.  They  ask  me  to 
go  only  eighty  miles  from  my  own  kindred,  whilst  they 
have  crossed  oceans.  I  am  not  sent  to  a  strange  tribe. 
Kreli  is  the  head  of  the  Gaikas  as  well  as  the  Galekas. 
The  two  tribes  are  related.  If  Sandilli  has  a  claim 
upon  me,  Kreli  has  a  still  greater.  In  conclusion,  I  said 
that  I  would  go  on  the  conditions  that  they  make  the 
request  to  our  Mission  Board,  intimate  my  removal  to 
my  people  and  to  my  chief  Sandilli,  and  give  me  practical 
aid  in  all  things  that  may  require  to  be  done  beyond 
the  Kei." 

On  3rd  August,  1867,  Tiyo  writes  to  Mr.  Gumming,  then 
at  Glenthorn,  Mankazana,  who  had  been  proposed  by  the 
missionaries  as  his  successor  at  the  Mgwali :  "  We  fully 
expected  you  at  the  united  conference.  Important  mat- 
ters were  discussed,  and  foremost  among  them  was  the 
proposal  that  I  should  go  to  Kreli's  country.  I  had  previ- 
ously and  carefully  considered  every  argument  for  and 
against,  and  have  decided  to  go.  If  I  have  taken  a  false 
step,  the  cause  on  which  I  have  ventured  is  the  Lord's, 
not  mine.  I  made  a  long  speech  to  the  brethren,  who  had 
expressed  themselves  in  exceedingly  kind  terms. 

"  The  unanimous  opinion  of  the  brethren  was :  if  I  am 
removed  from  the  Mgwali,  which  is  now  an  important 
station,  and  the  head-quarters  of  our  mission,  that  you,  as 
known  to  the  people  and  beloved  by  them,  should  take 


380  TITO  SOGA. 

my  place.  It  was  not  considered  advisable  to  have  an 
untried  man  here,  as  it  would  be  unfair  to  the  Mgwali 
people.  The  opinion  of  the  brethren  is,  that  you  should 
be  asked  to  come  to  your  former  people,  whoever  else  may 
be  appointed  to  associate  with  you." 

On  10th  August  of  the  same  year,  the  Revs.  William 
Govan  and  J.  A.  Chalmers,  by  appointment  of  the  united 
conference,  intimated  to  the  chief  Sandilli  and  his  coun- 
cillors, at  the  residence  of  Charles  Brownlee,  Esq.,  the 
proposed  removal  of  Tiyo  Soga  from  the  Gaika  to  the 
Galeka  tribe.  The  chief  had  little  to  say,  beyond  expressing 
regret  at  the  loss  which  himself  and  tribe  would  sustain. 
The  Gaika  Commissioner  took  advantage  of  this  oppor- 
tunity, to  administer  some  wholesome  rebukes  to  the  Gaika 
chief  for  the  indifference  which  he  had  manifested  to  the 
Mgwali  mission,  for  his  systematic  non-attendance  at  church 
since  the  station  was  established,  and  for  his  callous  treat- 
ment of  the  missionary,  who  was  now  about  fco  leave  him ; 
to  all  which  the  chief  listened  with  that  stolid  meekness, 
so  peculiar  to  him  when  his  faults  are  pointed  out.  On 
11th  August  these  two  brethren  preached  at  the  Mgwali, 
and  announced  the  same  tidings  to  the  church  and  con- 
gregation. 

Tiyo  Soga  now  considered  his  connection  with  the 
Mgwali  at  an  end,  and  was  more  or  less  a  resident  at  the 
Tutuka,  as  Kreli's  missionary;  and  when  the  proposals  of 
the  united  missionaries  were  approved  by  the  Mission 
Board  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  he  finally 
removed  from  the  Mgwali,  with  his  family,  on  the  4th 
day  of  June,  1868. 

During  his  residence  for  nearly  eleven  years  at  the 
Mgwali,  in  addition  to  his  native  services,  he  had  a  special 
English  service  for  Europeans.     This  effort  to  provide  for 


HIS  REMOVAL   FROM  THE  MGWALI.  381 

the  spiritual  wants  of  his  European  neighbours  was  much 
appreciated.  To  them  it  was  like  an  oasis  in  the  desert ; 
to  himself  it  was  both  stimulatinoj  and  encouraerinef.  On 
his  departure  from  the  Mgwali,  they  presented  him  with 
the  following  address : — 

"  We,  the  undersigned  members  and  adherents  of  your 
English  congregation  at  Umgwali,  desire  to  avail  ourselves 
of  the  occasion  of  your  leaving  for  another  sphere  of  labour, 
to  give  expression  to  our  high  appreciation  of  the  ability 
and  untiring  assiduity  with  which  you  have  ministered 
unto  us,  both  in  public  and  in  private,  for  now  nearly  eleven 
years — to  our  deep  sense  of  the  loss  which  both  we  and 
the  natives  in  this  district  sustain  by  your  removal — to 
the  great  personal  esteem,  which  observation  of  your 
public  career  and  the  intercourse  of  private  friendship 
have  led  us  to  entertain — and  to  the  regret  which  we  feel 
at  losing  these  privileges  of  frequent  intercourse  with 
yourseK  and  family.  In  the  new  and  important  sphere 
of  labour,  which  you  are  now  to  occupy,  we  heartily 
wish  you  God-speed,  and  trust  that  as  you  continue  to 
labour  in  your  Master's  service,  you  may  be  rewarded 
with  even  a  greater  measure  of  success  than  has  hitherto 
attended  you.  It  may  perhaps  encourage  you  when 
trials  assail  you,  to  think  that  we  watch  your  career 
with  a  kindly  interest,  and  that  you  always  possess  our 
warmest  sympathies." 

These  few  parting  words  were  not  mere  compliments  to 
a  Kafir  minister,  but  were  the  genuine  expression  of  grati- 
tude for  spiritual  instruction.  These  persons  were  the 
best  able  to  estimate  the  worth  of  his  work  and  ministry, 
for  they  had  known  him  as  a  genial,  hospitable  friend,  and 
as  a  welcome  guest  in  their  own  houses ;  as  a  wise  coun- 
sellor in  times  of  difficulty,  as  a  faithful  and  affectionate 


382  TITO  SOGA. 

pastor  in  seasons  of  affliction,  and  as  a  man,  the  more  that 
they  knew  his  private  character,  who  became  all  the  more 
worthy  of  their  respect  and  honour. 

He  ended  his  ministry,  among  his  English  flock,  by 
preaching  a  farewell  sermon  from  the  text,  Psalm  cxxii. 
6-9,  and  then  turned  the  key  of  sacred  memory  upon  ten 
hallowed  years  in  the  following  words: — 

"  Take  these  words,  my  Christian  friends,  as  an  expres- 
sion of  the  feelings  with  which  I  close  a  ten  years'  ministry 
in  this  church  and  cono^reofation. 

"  The  reasons  which  have  induced  me  to  leave  this 
station  are  known  to  most  of  you,  and  I  shall  not  now 
repeat  them.  Suffice  it  to  say  that  this  step  has  been 
maturely  and  deliberately  taken  for  the  Gospel's  sake. 
No  earthly  considerations  could  have  induced  me  to  leave 
this  place.  It  has  been  the  scene  of  my  youthful  ambition 
in  the  Lord's  work;  of  my  fears,  hopes,  anxieties,  and 
prayers.  I  can  never  cherish  any  other  feelings  towards 
it,  or  breathe  any  other  prayer  for  it,  than  the  words  of 
the  Psalmist :  '  Peace  be  within  thy  walls  and  prosperity 
within  thy  palaces ;  for  my  friends  and  companions'  sakes 
I  will  now  say,  Peace  be  within  thee.' 

"  I  am  going  where  midnight  darkness  covers  the  people. 
Heathenism  there  is  rampant.  So  has  it  been  among  my 
own  tribe,  until  the  good  men  who  have  asked  me  to  go  to 
another  tribe,  came  with  the  light  of  the  glorious  Gospel 
of  the  blessed  God.  It  shall  be  my  humble  endeavour  to 
do  there  as  they  have  done  here!  From  the  perpetuation 
of  heathenism,  in  all  its  abominations,  we  have  nothing  to 
hope,  either  for  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  this,  or  any 
other  country.  We  shall  therefore  strive  to  labour  and 
pray  for  the  peace  and  prosperity  of  every  class  of  its 
inhabitants. 


HIS   REMOVAL   FROM   THE   MGWALI.  383 

"  With  a  very  painful  sense  of  unprofitableness,  I  have 
striven  as  I  was  able  during  the  past  ten  years  to  supply 
in  this  house  the  lack  of  better  services  to  you,  my  Euro- 
pean friends.  I  have  administered  to  you  and  to  your 
children  the  sacraments  of  the  Church,  and  have  expounded 
the  only  rule  of  faith  and  duty,  the  Word  of  God. 
I  have  spoken  to  you  of  Jesus,  our  blessed  Lord  and 
Saviour,  so  far  as  I  knew  Him  in  my  own  experience, 
and  in  His  revealed  Word.  I  have  striven  to  lead  your 
thoughts  to  dwell  on  that  heavenly  home  which  awaits 
the  faithful  worshippers  in  the  Church  below.  Whether 
in  such  a  poor  ministry  I  have  succeeded  in  impressing  a 
single  thought  upon  any  of  you,  I  do  not  know.  Allow 
me  to  say,  however,  that  to  secure  the  eternal  happiness 
of  your  immortal  souls  is  the  one  thing  for  which  you 
ought  specially  to  live,  labour,  and  pray. 

"  Friends,  sisters,  and  brothers,  I  wish  you  peace  and 
prosperity  in  your  own  souls.  May  God  the  Father,  Son, 
and  Holy  Ghost,  vouchsafe  this  blessedness  to  you  now 
and  evermore ! 

"  I  wish  you,  further,  peace  and  prosperity  in  your 
homes  and  households ;  in  all  that  your  hands  find  to  do ; 
in  your  basket  and  store ;  in  your  flocks  and  fields. 

"  I  wish  you  peace  and  prosperity  in  your  children.  As 
they  grow  up,  may  they  walk  as  I  have  ever  seen  you 
walk.  May  none  of  them  rise  up  to  be  a  source  of  grief 
and  sorrow  to  you.  May  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  Good 
Shepherd  of  the  sheep,  lead  them  now  and  always  in 
wisdom's  ways,  which  are  ways  of  pleasantness  and  peace. 
My  young  friends,  the  world  is  all  before  you — its  joys,  its 
trials,  its  griefs,  its  disappointments.  Oh,  remember  that 
you  will  never  be  truly  happy,  until  you  seek  and  find  your 
happiness  in  God  your  Creator,  and  in  Jesus  your  Saviour. 


384  TIYO  SOGA. 

"  My  last  wish  for  your  peace  and  prosperity  is,  Christian 
friends,  that  after  you  have  served  God  in  your  day  and 
generation,  your  end  may  be  peace,  and  your  reward 
eternal  life  and  fulness  of  glory  in  the  immediate  presence 
of  God. 

"Suffer  me  to  commend  myself  and  mine  to  your 
remembrances,  prayers,  and  friendship.  My  greatest  regret 
in  leaving  the  Mgwali  is,  that  I  cannot  carry  with  me 
such  a  community  of  Christian  friends,  as  I  have  had  in 
you.  It  has  fallen  to  the  lot  of  few  missionaries  in  this 
country  to  have,  in  his  immediate  neighbourhood,  such 
Christian  families  and  friends  as  I  have  had.  With  some 
of  you  I  have  lived  for  these  ten  years,  on  terms  of  the 
closest  friendship,  and  there  has  never  been  a  jar  or  differ- 
ence between  us.  Your  Christian  forbearance,  therefore, 
is  worthy  of  note.  Receive  my  grateful  thanks,  this  day, 
for  all  you  have  been  to  me.  For  all  the  encduragement 
you  have  given  me  in  my  work,  for  all  the  sympathy  you 
have  extended  to  me,  for  all  the  help  you  have  rendered, 
I  offer  you  my  deepest  gratitude. 

"  I  commend,  to  the  same  brotherly  kindness  and  good- 
will, those  who  may  succeed  me  in  this  place.  Honour 
them  for  their  works'  sake ;  encourage  and  strengthen 
them  for  their  Master's  sake.  We  now  separate,  each 
taking  his  own  way  j  but  whilst  this  is  man's  lot  in  his 
earthly  pilgrimage,  there  is  an  everlasting  home  above, 
where  'we  shall  meet  to  part  no  more.'  We  shall  be 
happier  there,  because  we  shall  be  better  there  than  we 
have  ever  been  here  below. 

"Once  more,  I  breathe  a  prayer  for  this  house  of 
God,  and  for  the  Church  of  God,  that  shall  worship 
within  its  walls,  in  days  to  come.  'Peace  be  within 
thy  walls,  and  prosperity  within  thy  palaces;   for  my 


HIS  REMOVAL   FROM  THE  MGWALI.  385 

brethren  and  companions'  sakes,  I  will  now  say,  Peace 
be  within  thee ;  because  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  our 
God  I  will  seek  thy  good.' " 

He  likewise  spoke  farewell  words  to  his  own  native 
Hock,  with  an  earnestness,  a  pathos,  a  tenderness,  rarely 
equalled.  He  founded  his  parting  charge  to  his  own 
Gaika  countrymen,  on  the  words  of  the  apostle,  Heb  x. 
23,  36,  39.  The  few  brief  notes  of  the  sermon,  which  are 
the  only  surviving  record,  are  sufficient  to  show  that 
all  the  finest  points  of  his  character  were  revealed  in  all 
their  attractiveness,  especially  his  humility,  in  the  last 
solemn  words  which  he  spoke  to  them  as  one,  who  was 
now  leaving  them,  and  not  again  to  be  their  leader. 

Tiyo  Soga's  departure  from  the  Mgwali,  reveals  a  mar- 
vellous amount  of  self-sacrifice.  He  had  gathered  together 
those  dismembered  fragments  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
Mission  in  Kafiraria,  which  had  been  scattered  hy  the  war 
of  1851.  At  the  Mgwali  he  had  built  a  church  which  had 
cost  him  an  enormous  expenditure  of  physical  strength. 
Within  its  walls  a  large  congregation  now  worshipped, 
and  he  was  actively  employed  in  building  up  his  people 
in  spiritual  knowledge.  He  had  a  growing  membership 
and  flourishing  schools  at  and  around  his  station.  He 
had  an  interesting  field  for  itineration,  and  an  attached 
number  of  European  neighbours,  whose  friendship  he 
greatly  valued,  and  who  greatly  loved  and  honoured 
him  for  the  faithfulness  with  which  he  discharged  his 
duties.  He  had  lived  long  in  a  dingy,  damp,  low-roofed 
cottage,  but  had  now  a  comfortable  mission  house.  There 
were  outward  peace  and  prosperity  at  his  station,  and 
every  external  circumstance  tempted  him  to  remain.  He 
might  easily  have  pleaded  some  excuse  for  not  leaving  the 
Mgwali,  such  as,  the  impaired  state  of  his  health,  or  the 

2b 


386  TIYO   SOGA. 

desire  for  a  few  years'  rest  after  so  much  toil  and  trial ; 
but  he  was  not  swayed  by  such  selfish  motives.  Cheerfully, 
good-naturedly,  he  stepped  forth  from  his  comfortable 
home,  and  beofan  life  once  more  in  a  Kafir  hut,  and  in  a 
dreary  wilderaess,  where  there  was  neither  the  nucleus 
of  a  Christian  Church,  nor  willing  people  to  listen  to 
his  message. 

The  following  reminiscence  of  Tiyo  Soga,  furnished  by 
one  of  his  European  flock  at  the  Mgwali,  most  fittingly 
closes  this  chapter.  It  is  from  the  pen  of  Mrs.  Charles 
Brownlee,  who  took  the  liveliest  interest  in  his  work  at 
the  Mgwali,  and  was  always  ready  to  second  all  his  efforts 
for  the  christianizing  of  his  countrymen. 

"  My  first  recollection  of  Mr.  Tiyo  Soga  was  in  1850, 
when,  as  a  modest  retiring  lad,  he  had  taken  refuge  at 
Fort  Armstrong,  with  the  Rev.  Mr.  Niven,  after  the 
destruction  of  the  Uniondale  Station,  and  where,  under 
Mr.  Niven's  supervision,  he  had  been  a  schoolmaster.  I 
next  saw  him,  on  his  return  in  1857,  as  an  ordained 
missionary  to  labour  among  his  countrymen.  But  what 
a  change  had  taken  place  during  those  few  short  years ! 
When  he  left  South  Africa,  his  chief  Sandilli,  with  thou- 
sands of  sleek  warriors  at  his  back,  was  causing  alarm 
throughout  the  Colony,  having  shut  up  the  Governor,  Sir 
Harry  Smith,  in  Fort  Cox,  and  was  keeping  the  troops  at 
bay  while  Makoma  and  other  chiefs  were  devastating  the 
frontier  districts  of  the  Colony.  In  1857,  only  six  years 
later,  he  returned  to  Kaffraria,  to  find  it  a  wilderness — 
kraals  deserted,  and  human  skeletons  lying  in  all  direc- 
tions. The  Kafirs,  as  a  people,  had  slighted  the  Gospel, 
which  for  nearly  half  a  century  had  been  in  their  midst. 
They  were  given  over  to  a  strong  delusion,  to  believe  a 
lie,  and  the  punishment  inflicted  by  their  own  hands  was 


HIS  REMOVAL  FROM   THE   MGWALI.  387 

dreadful.  Sad  as  the  prospect  was,  it  nerved  Mr.  Soga  to 
greater  efforts  to  save  the  remnants  of  his  countrymen. 
He  therefore  settled  on  the  Mgwali  stream,  in  the  vicinity  of 
a  location  of  Sandilli  and  the  Gaikas,  who  had  not  destroyed 
their  cattle — about  seven  miles  from  their  own  residence. 
A  little  sod  cottaore,  with  thatch  roof  and  walls  about  six 
feet  high,  was  soon  erected ;  and  in  this  humble  dwelling 
the  subject  of  these  remarks  spent  his  first  years  of  mis- 
sionary life.  In  this  home  we  were  often  welcome  guests, 
enjoying  its  Christian  society — the  only  drawback  being 
that  my  husband  was  constantly  knocking  his  head  against 
the  beams.  Mr.  Soga,  in  building  it,  had  probably  not 
thought  of  the  intrusion  of '  Ramncwa  likulu'  or  he  might 
have  put  the  Society  to  the  additional  expense  of  a  wall 
six  inches  higher.  On  the  establishment  of  the  Mgwali 
station,  we  became  members  of  the  church,  and  so  highly 
esteemed  the  ministrations  of  Mr.  Soga,  that  during  ten 
years  we  attended  every  Sabbath,  unless  prevented  by 
sickness  or  bad  weather.  It  is  almost  superfluous  for  me 
to  attempt  to  describe  Mr.  Soga  as  a  preacher,  a  man,  and 
a  Christian.  In  these  various  characters,  he  has  been  so 
well  and  ably  described  in  the  notices  of  his  death  which 
appeared  in  the  various  colonial  papers,  that  I  need  now 
only  add,  that  in  none  of  these  accounts  were  his  virtues 
and  high  excellences  over-rated.  I  shaU  never  forget  the 
feeling  of  pleasure  that  possessed  me  when  first  I  heard 
him  preach.  The  classic  English,  in  well-turned  sentences, 
melodiously  flowing  from  his  lips,  was  indeed  surprising; 
but  as  the  discourse  proceeded,  and  the  heart  and  mind 
became  enthralled,  the  thought  would  unconsciously  arise: 
*  Is  this  possible  ? '  Many,  many  times  have  I  listened  to 
that  voice,  which  we  soon  learned  to  love.  Alas  !  that  we 
shall  hear  it  no  more. 


888  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  It  was  quite  an  undertaking  for  us  to  travel  with  a 
family  seven  miles  to  church,  and  when  the  days  were 
hot  I  felt  the  fatigue ;  but  on  coming  out  of  church  the 
feeling  always  was,  '  I  am  glad  we  came ;  it  was  worth 
all  the  trouble  and  more/  While  the  sermon  was  the 
crowning  treat,  the  whole  service  was  refreshing,  and  his 
prayers  were  the  natural  outpouring  of  a  full  heart.  I 
seem  to  hear  his  voice  even  now:  'Here  we  are  again, 
0  Lord,  a  company  of  poor  sinners  come  before  Thee,' 
a  sentence  with  which  he  often  prefaced  his  petitions. 
On  mounting  the  pulpit  he  had  often  a  weary  look,  and 
the  large,  melancholy  eyes  were  heavy.  I  am  sure  he 
must  often  have  suffered  more  than  any  one  knew.  But 
under  the  inspu'ation  of  his  subject  the  jaded,  tired  look 
vanished;  the  eyes  sparkled  and  gleamed,  the  whole 
countenance  becoming  almost  transfigured.  I  sometimes 
attended  his  Kafir  service  for  the  sake  of  the  singing,  for 
there  were  under  his  training  a  softness  and  resonance  in 
the  singing  of  his  Kafir  congregation,  which  to  me  were 
peculiarly  thrilling.  Although  I  could  not  understand  a 
word  of  the  service,  I  could  see,  from  the  countenances  of 
both  speaker  and  hearers,  when  the  subject  was  absorbing, 
pathetic,  or  exciting.  We  frequently  took  visitors  with  us 
to  the  Mgwali,  and  the  one  expression  of  all  was  that  of 
surprise  and  pleasure.  A  few  questioned  the  originality  of 
his  sermons ;  but  they  did  not  know  the  man ;  and  their 
crediting  the  best  authors  with  what  we  knew  to  be  his 
own  bona  fide  ideas,  we  considered  the  highest  tribute 
that  could  be  paid  to  his  preaching.  Among  the  visitors 
to  the  Mgwali  was  Bishop  Wangemann,  a  learned  doctor 
from  Germany.  On  his  return  to  our  house  he  could  not 
speak  enough  of  the  Kafir  pastor,  and  said  several  times, 
*  I  never  have  met  any  one  more  ripe  in  theology.' 


HIS  REMOVAL   FROM  THE   MGWALI.  389 

"  We  often  visited  at  the  mission  house,  and  very  much 
enjoyed  our  visits.  In  his  home  he  was  a  genial  host, 
entertaining  both  mind  and  body.  He  was  social,  well 
fitted  to  take  his  place  in  any  society,  and  gained  for 
himself  a  welcome  everywhere.  The  more  the  man  became 
known,  the  greater  was  the  regard  entertained  for  him  by 
all  classes  and  conditions  of  men.  I  may  here  introduce 
an  incident,  to  show  how  he  gained  upon  people  even  at 
first  sight.  An  official  at  the  top  of  the  KafFrarian  Execu- 
tive, and  a  good  judge  of  men  and  manners,  said,  when  he 
heard  of  a  white  lady  having  honoured  a  Kafir  with  her 
hand  and  heart,  that  she  showed  a  strange  taste.  After 
seeing  the  man,  he  did  not  at  all  wonder,  as  any  girl 
might  fall  in  love  with  Tiyo  Soga,  adding,  '  that  there 
were  few  men  fit  to  hold  a  candle  to  him ! '  Asa  father, 
he  was  all  a  Christian  father  should  be ;  he  loved  his  little 
boys,  and  was  very  proud  of  them,  but  kept  them  in  order. 
They  had  all  fine  voices ;  and  when  he  led  them  in  singing 
it  was  a  real  treat.  In  all  his  relations,  he  never  neglected 
those  small  attentions  which  show  a  refined  mind,  and 
tend  so  largely  to  make  a  home  pleasant.  The  duties  of 
the  husband,  the  father,  and  the  head  of  a  house,  were  not 
lost  sight  of  in  the  weightier  duties  of  the  pastor. 

"  At  Tembani  Mr.  Soga  and  family  were  frequent  visi- 
tors; and  among  our  numerous  guests  none  were  more 
welcome  than  they.  When  the  visits  were  pastoral, 
particularly  in  times  of  affliction,  they  were  doubly  pre- 
cious ;  his  affectionate  words  of  Christian  sympathy  and 
comfort  can  never  be  forgotten.  One  of  the  most  pleasant 
parts  of  my  husband's  duty,  in  Kafirland,  was  making  the 
annual  inspection-tour  through  his  district,  on  which 
occasions  he  was  frequently  accompanied  by  Mr.  Soga.  On 
his  return,  he  always  had  something  pleasing  to  tell  of 


390  TITO  SOGA. 

the  trip.  I  remember  his  once  telling  me  that  he  had 
during  one  excursion  heard  Mr.  Soga  preach  five  sermons, 
at  different  kraals,  from  one  text — each  admirable  and 
entirely  different  from  the  other — and,  on  two  of  the 
occasions,  suggested  by  circumstances  which  had  taken 
place  on  the  way.  These  sermons  had  been  listened  to 
with  the  greatest  attention  and  interest  by  many  Kafirs, 
who,  perhaps,  had  never  before  heard  a  sermon  which 
they  understood,  or  heard  with  pleasure.  It  was  a  sad 
day  when  we  heard  that  Soga  was  dead.  We  felt  that  a 
great  one  had  fallen,  and  that  we  had  lost  a  dear  and 
valued  friend.  But  He,  who  took  him,  knew  that  the  time 
had  come  for  giving  His  beloved  sleep ;  and  he  entered  into 
his  rest,  walking  in  his  uprightness." 


CHAPTER  XX. 

IN  THE  DARK  PLACES  OF  THE  EARTH 

"  On  an  average,  the  heathen  get  the  better  share  of  the  ministry  of  the 
Church.  It  is  right  they  should;  for  our  people  at  home,  with  all  their 
education  and  books,  and  mutual  edifying  of  one  another,  are  better  qualified 
to  be  a  priesthood  to  themselves." 

The  spot,  selected  for  a  mission  station  in  Kreli's  country, 
was  known  among  the  Kafirs  as  the  Tutuka.  Tiyo  Soga 
gave  it  the  name  of  Somierville,  after  the  Rev.  Dr.  Somer- 
ville,  who  had  just  then  retired  from  a  long  and  able 
secretaryship  of  the  Mission  Board  of  the  United  Presby- 
terian Church.  "  Though  we  give  English  names  to  our 
stations,"  says  Tiyo  Soga,  "  the  natives  always  call  them 
by  their  own.  I  am  happy  thus  to  mark  my  sense  of 
gratitude  for  the  doctor's  many  kindnesses,  counsels,  and 
fatherly  concern,  whilst  I  have  been  under  his  leadership, 
and  also  my  admiration  of  his  untiring  interest  in  the 
cause  of  missions." 

In  taking  up  his  permanent  residence  at  the  Tutuka,  in 
June,  1868,  Tiyo  Soga  encountered  no  ordinary  difficulties. 
The  site  given  for  the  station  was  an  elevated  one,  exposed 
to  the  mists  and  damps  which  perpetually  rise  from  the 
sea.  It  was  therefore,  afterwards,  pronounced  by  some 
people  as  most  unsuitable  for  his  infirm  state  of  health. 
It  was  selected  in  a  season  of  great  drought,  when  the 
whole  colony  was  parched  and  withered.  At  that  time 
the  Tutuka  presented  a  beautiful  contrast  to  the   dry 


392  TITO  SOGA. 

country,  from  which  the  missionaries  had  come  who  began 
the  work.  The  foggy  atmosphere,  coast  rains,  and 
heavy  dews,  to  which  it  was  liable,  had  rendered  the  grass 
green  and  plentiful.  Whatever  disadvantages,  therefore, 
there  were  to  his  state  of  health,  they  were  not  at  first 
apparent.  The  other  site,  which  had  at  first  been  granted 
by  Kreli,  but  was  afterwards  withdrawn,  might  have 
been  more  advantageous.  But  the  Tutuka  was  now 
given ;  and  there,  with  impaired  health,  this  self-denying 
missionary  began  life  afresh.  From  the  comfortable  manse 
at  the  Mgwali,  he  betook  himself  to  a  Kafir  hut.  "  The 
interval  from  March  to  June,  1868,"  he  writes  on  10th 
July  of  that  year,  "  has  been  occupied  with  putting  up 
accommodation  for  a  large  family,  which  has  been  accumu- 
lating for  the  past  eleven  years.  I  built  two  additional 
large  Kafir  huts,  and  a  wattle  and  daub  small  place  for 
kitchen  and  store.  We  shall  therefore,  God  willing,  rough 
it  once  more  in  these  humble  dwellings  for  a  time.  It  is 
not  palaces  or  costly  houses  that  minister  true  happiness 
to  man.  No ;  where  in  this  world  shall  we  find  it,  if  not 
in  Him  who  has  the  fulness  of  joy,  and  whose  loving- 
kindness  is  better  than  life  ?  My  family  has  now  been 
nearly  a  month  at  the  Tutuka." 

Many  of  his  immediate  neighbours  at  the  Tutuka  had 
resided,  for  some  time  after  the  cattle  killing,  at  a  mission 
station,  where  they  had  contracted  an  inveterate  hatred 
to  the  Gospel.  They  were  ^dolent  in  their  opposition  to  a 
"thing"  from  which  they  had  purposely  fled  on  coming  back 
to  their  chief  Kreli,  after  he  and  his  tribe  returned  from 
their  exile.  To  live  down  this  opposition,  and  endeavour 
to  bring  them  to  the  house  of  God,  required  extraordinary 
patience  and  perseverance.  He  was  unwearied  in  his  visi- 
tations of  the  kraals,  notwithstanding  this  callousness, 


IN  THE  DARK   PLACES   OF  THE  EARTH.  393 

seeking  by  every  means  to  win  the  people  to  a  knowledge 
of  the  truth.  The  brief  entries  in  his  Journal  show  that, 
although  he  was  sometimes  favourably  received,  their 
deep-rooted  hatred  to  the  Gospel  was  always  cropping  up 
in  their  conversations  with  him  : — 

"  Lord's  Day,  Wth  June. — Commenced  the  plan  of 
going  out  early,  whenever  the  weather  permits,  and 
preaching  at  some  of  the  distant  villages,  returning  in 
time  for  the  mid-day  service  at  the  station.  Held  an 
interesting  service  at  Ngubo's  kraal.  Two  elders  have 
gone  to  Kreli's  place  to  preach.  The  people  I  preached 
to,  to-day,  are  a  very  inquiring  inquisitive  people,  very 
different  from  our  neighbours.  I  had  a  most  interesting 
conversation  with  them  on  the  subject  of  discourse.  They 
said  they  preferred  the  narroiu  way,  of  which  I  had  been 
speaking  to  them,  and  added,  that  they  never  knew  before 
that  there  were  two  ways,  and  they  had  always  considered 
that  it  was  all  right  with  them.  One  man  asked  me  to 
point  out  the  difference  between  the  conduct  of  a  man  who 
is  on  the  broad  way,  and  that  of  one  who  is  on  the  narrow 
way.  This  gave  me  further  scope  for  expounding  the 
passage  which  I  had  been  endeavouring  to  illustrate. 

"  Sth  November,  1869. — At  Tshazibana's  kraal.  When 
moving  off,  after  service,  a  woman  said  to  me,  '  Peace  be 
unto  you,  servant  of  God ;  do  not  give  up  speaking  to  us 
although  we  are  deaf.'  As  I  approached  the  third  kraal, 
where  I  was  going  to  preach,  I  made  up  to  a  man,  who 
asked  me  where  I  was  going.  I  answered,  *  I  am  coming 
to  you.'  '  What  to  do  with  me  ?'  he  asked.  '  To  carry  on 
my  work,'  was  my  reply.  He  then  asked  me  where  I 
came  from.  I  said,  '  From  the  Tutuka.'  He  then  repeated 
his  question,  *  Where  was  I  going  ? '  I  told  him  that  I 
was  going  everywhere  among  the  villages  seeking  people. 


394  TIYO  SOGA. 

He  asked,  '  What  is  the  matter  with  them  ? '  I  said,  '  I 
have  something  to  say  to  them  about  their  souls.'  '  What 
ails  their  souls?'  he  inquired.  I  said,  'They  are  sick.' 
'  What!'  he  exclaimed,  'souls  sick!  Well,  what  about 
that  ? '  '  They  need  to  be  made  whole.'  When  I  reached 
his  village  he  gave  me  some  milk ;  and  I  tried  to  teach 
him  a  lesson  of  gratitude  to  God  by  giving  thanks  for  it. 
After  a  long  conversation  with  him,  he  said  to  me,  '  I  have 
been  feigning  to  be  a  clown.  I  know  all  about  what  I 
have  been  asking  you.  I  am  a  man  who  has  resided  at  a 
mission  station,  and  I  see  no  truth  in  that  thing  of  yours, 
in  the  dissemination  of  which  you  are  wilfully  wasting 
your  strength.' 

"  9th  November. — At  Mnyanda's  kraal.  After  having 
been  asked,  and  I  had  stated,  the  object  of  my  visit,  we 
conversed  for  some  time  on  the  omnipresence  of  God.  One 
man  asked  me  if  I  knew  the  names  of  all  the  kloofs  and 
villages  around.  I  answered,  '  No.'  He  then  asked,  '  Has 
not  God  told  you  beforehand  all  the  names  of  the  kraals  V 
I  said, '  No.'  '  Why,  that  is  strange,'  said  this  man ;  '  you 
told  us  a  little  while  ago  that  God  knows  all  things,  and 
you  profess  to  be  one  of  His  people ;  why,  then,  has  He 
not  informed  you  ? '  Here  I  had  a  large  meeting,  and 
preached  from  the  parable  of  the  rich  man  and  Lazarus. 
Afterwards,  the  same  man  asked  me,  '  Why  do  you  go 
about  preaching  this  thing  V  'In  order  that  men  may  be 
saved,  and  brouorht  to  a  knowledo:e  of  the  truth  as  it  is  in 
Jesus,'  I  said.  '  Why  have  they  lost  the  way?'  he  asked. 
I  repeated  the  story  of  the  fall.  He  then  asked  me  where 
the  devil  came  from.  I  endeavoured,  so  far  as  I  could,  to 
enlighten  him.  '  But  where  had  God  gone  to,'  he  asked, 
*  when  the  devil  came  to  steal  His  people  from  Him  ?  Do 
you  not  say  that  God  created  all  men ;  that  He  knows  all 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES  OF  THE  EARTH.  395 

things,  even  such  as  my  hands  do  and  my  eyes  see  ?  Where 
had  He  gone  to,  when  we  lost  our  knowledge  of  Him,  that 
He  did  not  come  and  enlighten  us  ?  Why  does  He  allow 
this  being,  the  devil,  to  come  and  ruin  us  without  putting 
forth  any  effort  to  prevent  him  ?'  " 

Some  of  the  Galekas  had  got  a  mere  smattering  of  divine 
truth,  and  now  used  it  as  a  weapon  to  defend  themselves 
against  the  pure  gospel.  "  Of  all  sounds,"  said  one  of 
them,  "  that  which  grates  most  upon  my  ears  is  a  church 
bell ;  I  have  been  sickened  with  it  in  the  past,  and  I  care 
not  although  I  never  hear  it  again."  Noiselessly,  stead- 
fastly this  Kafir  missionary  reasoned,  remonstrated,  and 
pleaded,  and  ultimately  won  some  of  them  to  attend  the 
house  of  prayer,  and  persuaded  all  to  listen  patiently  and 
without  opposition  to  his  message.  A  hardened  race  is 
this  Galeka  tribe,  second  only  to  the  proud,  haughty,  self- 
satisfied  Gaika.  The  latter  is  plausible,  and  hides  from 
the  missionary  his  opposition  to  the  gospel ;  the  former  is 
as  yet  an  unsophisticated  barbarian,  outspoken,  and  careless 
of  his  utterances  to  the  preacher  of  the  gospel. 

Human  life  among  the  Galekas  was  held  at  a  very  low 
value.  The  belief  in  superstition  was  rampant,  and  the 
belief  in  witch-doctors  fostered  this  belief,  to  lead  men 
away  from  a  knowledge  of  the  truth.  Not  a  buzzard 
uttered  its  low  dismal  cry,  not  a  dog  bayed  at  the  moon, 
not  a  bullock  fell  a  victim  to  pleuro-pneumonia,  not  an 
infant  died,  or  strong  man  succumbed  to  a  fatal  disease, 
but  some  evil-disposed  person  was  denounced  as  at  work, 
in  destroying  his  fellows.  This  was  the  most  formidable 
obstacle  which  the  devoted  missionary  had  to  encounter, 
and  it  met  him  at  every  turn  of  his  path,  greatly  hindering 
all  his  efforts  to  elevate  and  christianize  the  Galekas. 
His  preaching  had  to  shape  itself  in  such  ways,  as  to  meet 


396  TIYO   SOGA. 

the  evils  that  abounded  everywhere ;  but  he  was  not  less 
outspoken  or  faithful,  even  although  he  had  to  unmask 
to  the  great  men  the  falsehoods  by  which  they  were  led 
astray.  He  was  possessed  of  a  wonderful  power  of  speech, 
by  which  he  could  fascinate  and  charm,  and  sway  any 
audience  of  his  countrymen.  The  notes  of  the  sermons 
which  he  preached  show  that  he  did  not  pander  to  their 
tastes,  but  unveiled  with  his  own  marvellous  power  the 
fatal  errors  which  enveloped  them,  as  a  people,  in  the 
greatest  darkness. 

Here  is  an  illustration  of  the  Galeka  belief  in  witchcraft : 
"  2nd  October,  1870.  There  are  very  serious  occurrences 
taking  place  in  this  tribe  at  present.  Two  men  have  lost 
their  lives,  because,  as  is  alleged  by  witch  doctors,  they 
have  bewitched  Kreli's  cattle  with  lung  sickness.  Others 
are  named,  as  concerned  in  this  destruction  of  the  chief's 
cattle,  conspicuous  among  whom  is  Maki,  the  councillor. 
I  am  sadly  grieved.  This  land  of  the  Galekas  is  being 
ruined  by  the  baneful  influence  of  the  witch  doctors. 
Human  beings,  yearly,  and  in  no  small  numbers,  are 
secretly  put  to  death,  through  the  instigation  of  these 
doctors.  We  hear  of  some  after  they  have  been  despatched ; 
and  of  others  we  never  hear.  This  sacrifice  of  human  life 
is  kept  a  profound  secret  from  those  who  are  known  to  be 
hostile  to  the  wholesale  destruction  of  their  fellow-men. 
There  is  no  security  for  the  most  precious  life  among  this 
people.  They  are  all  sheep  for  the  slaughter.  The  butcher 
of  a  witch  doctor  has  only  to  point  out  his  victim,  where 
and  when  he  likes. 

"Maki  came  to  me  last  Saturday,  and  said  that  the 
councillors  are  expected  to  go  to  the  great  place  to  condole 
with  the  chief  in  the  great  calamity,  which  has  overtaken 
him  in  the  death  of  so  many  cattle.     Now,  he  said,  the 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES   OF  THE   EARTH.  397 

question  of  detecting  and  killing  those,  who  are  supposed 
to  be  destroying  the  cattle  will  come  up,  and  what  was 
my  opinion  as  to  what  he  should  say  ?  He  added  that  he 
was  already  openly  accused  of  leaning  too  much  to  English 
ideas.  I  said  to  Maki,  that  I  was  astonished  he  should 
come  to  seek  my  advice  on  such  a  matter.  There  was  but 
one  advice  which  I  could  give  him,  not  two,  '  Thou  shalt 
not  kill.'  I  could  not  compromise  matters,  or  encourage 
any  other  course  of  action.  I  told  him  that  he  should 
strongly  advise  the  chief,  since  he  believes  in  witchcraft, 
rather  to  expel  the  accused  from  his  country,  than  shed 
innocent  blood.  To-day  I  went  specially  to  visit  Maki 
at  his  kraals.  I  found  him  in  great  dejection  of  spirit,  and 
meditating  a  flight  from  his  country.  The  meshes  of 
Galeka  jealousy  of  his  reputation  and  powers  are  compass- 
ing his  ruin.  As  he  does  not  belong  to  the  old  Kafir  party, 
which  says,  '  the  customs  of  our  fathers  are  the  best  for  us,' 
but  to  the  liberal  party,  which  hails  the  approach  of  light, 
improvement,  good  and  orderly  government  from  the 
white  men,  every  one  from  the  chief  downward  is  seeking 
his  ruin.  He  asked  me  what  he  should  do  ?  I  told  him 
that  he  should,  without  delay,  absent  himself  from  this 
country.  I  found  out  that  Maki  and  his  sons,  and  a  good 
number  of  his  retainers  are  already  singled  out  to  pay  for 
the  destruction  of  the  chief's  cattle,  by  the  sacrifice  of 
their  lives.  Truly,  I  do  not  know  what  to  think  of  this 
miserably  dark  heathen  country.  Kreli  is  an  enigma  to  me. 
He  is  either  hopelessly  weak-minded,  or  a  wicked  chief. 
When  I  have  an  opportunity  of  speaking  to  him,  may  God 
help  me  to  tell  him  all  that  is  in  my  mind.  The  plea  put 
forth  to  remove  the  blame  from  Kreli  in  the  eyes  of  the 
English  Government  is,  that  the  two  men  lately  killed,  were 
murdered  by  their  neighbours,  and  about  their  own  aflfairs. 


398  TIYO  SOGA. 

"  3rd  October. — News  were  brought  early  this  morning 
by  Maki's  eldest  son,  that  during  last  night  they  had 
succeeded  in  quietly  getting  his  father,  and  all  their  cattle, 
over  the  border,  and  into  the  Fingoe  territory.  The 
women  and  children  left  after  it  was  light.  There  was  a 
spy  at  this  station,  last  night,  sent  from  the  chief's  place. 
As  Maki  has  not  slept  at  his  own  kraal  for  some  time,  lest 
he  might  be  waylaid  and  murdered,  the  spy  had  evidently 
come  to  use  his  eyes  and  ears  to  find  out  whether  or  not 
Maki  was  harboured  here.  He  was  very  speedily  un- 
deceived, and  left  early  for  Maki's  kraal,  where  he  could 
obtain  no  information  about  him.  Maki  escaped  in  time. 
Every  precaution  was  being  taken  to  make  his  escape 
impossible,  and  his  death  certain.  It  is  a  part  of  the 
policy  of  Kafir  chiefs,  when  a  councillor  of  note  and  great 
abilities  has  lost  favour,  and  is  likely  to  seek  the  protection 
of  another  chief,  or  as  they  say,  to  seek  service  under 
another  chief,  to  put  him  to  death  if  they  can  lay  hold 
of  him.  This  is  to  prevent  his  becoming  famous  under  a 
hostile  chief  or  tribe,  and  it  would  have  been  Maki's  fate 
if  they  could  have  arrested  him.  His  departure  has 
weighed  down  my  spirits  very  much.  He  gave  great 
support  to  our  mission  in  this  country.  It  was  his  people 
chiefly  who  filled  the  house  of  God  on  the  Lord's  day,  and 
impressions  were  being  visibly  made  upon  them.  He  was 
the  councillor  to  whom  this  station  was  given  in  charge. 
But  for  more  than  a  year  his  chief,  who  had  been  his 
companion  from  childhood,  has  turned  against  him.  Kreli 
says,  that  Maki  has  been  reporting  his  doings  to  the  English 
Government  through  the  Resident ;  that  Maki  was  striving 
to  make  himself  great  with  white  men,  at  the  expense  of 
the  chief's  importance,  that  in  short,  he  was  usurping 
authority,  and  coercing  him  into  courses  which  neither  the 


IN   THE  DARK  PLACES   OF  THE  EARTH.  399 

chief,  nor  the  people  approved  of.  When  the  Galeka 
people  saw  the  estrangement  betwixt  these  two  great  men, 
the  enemies  of  Maki  redoubled  their  efforts,  not  only  to 
widen  the  breach,  but  to  put  an  end  to  his  existence.  But 
God  has  interposed  on  his  behalf,  and  disappointed  their 
rage.  Now  they  may  begin  to  think  that  they  have  gone 
too  far,  but  it  is  too  late  to  undo  the  wrong,  and  Kreli  will 
yet  suffer  from  the  removal  of  such  a  judicious  friend 
and  councillor.  Upwards  of  100  people  have  gone  with 
Maki,  which  will  tell  upon  the  attendance  at  our  Sabbath 
services.  A  gloom  hangs  over  the  whole  district.  Maki 
was  too  great  a  man  to  leave  his  country,  without  making 
a  serious  blank.  There  are  daily  tidings  of  the  flight  of 
other  influential  men.  How  to  make  the  chief  feel  that 
these  disasters  must  prove  dangerous  to  himself,  I  know 
not.  I  must  rely  upon  divine  wisdom  to  direct  me  how  to 
speak,  and  what  to  speak,  and  ivhen  to  speak. 

"  Lord's  day,  16th. — The  heir  apparent  to  the  chieftain- 
ship, and  his  uncle  were  present  in  church  to-day,  and  I 
ventured,  as  far  as  the  circumstances  would  permit,  to 
direct  their  thoughts  into  a  proper  channel. 

''Lord's  day,  23rd. — Kreli  at  church.  He  came  on 
Saturday,  and  I  had  an  opportunity  of  having  a  long 
conversation  with  him  about  the  above  matters.  He  is  in 
considerable  trouble  of  mind." 

"  On  20th  August,  1870,  the  young  chief  Sigcawu,  eldest 
son  of  Kreli,  made  his  appearance,  with  an  attendant,  at 
the  door  of  my  study.  He  said  he  had  come  to  inform 
me  that  his  sister,  Ngangelizwe's  wife,  had  arrived  at  the 
Great  Place  the  evening  before.  He  remarked  that  he 
had  no  time  to  enter  into  particulars,  but  that  as  she  was 
now  come  in  person,  we  could  go  and  see  for  ourselves  the 
state  in  which  she  had  presented  herself  among  her  friends. 


400  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  I  thanked  the  young  chief  for  the  news,  and  promised 
to  go  to  the  Great  Place  on  the  following  Monday  to  see 
his  sister.  On  that  day,  accordingly,  I  was  early  at  the 
chief's  kraal.  After  resting  a  while,  I  was  requested  by 
the  wives  of  Kreli  to  go  and  see  their  daughter.  A  short 
time  previously,  I  had  observed  the  women  filing  out  of  the 
hut  where  she  was.  She  came  out  last,  supporting  herself 
on  a  stafi",  and  they  all  squatted  in  front  of  the  hut.  I 
went  up  to  them,  and  sat  down  beside  Ngangelizwe's 
young  wife.  Having  seen  her  fifteen  months  before  with 
a  fine,  fresh  complexion,  I  was  struck  with  her  appearance. 
She  was  dark-skinned  now,  withered-looking,  and  wearing 
a  very  dejected  look. 

"  After  a  few  general  questions  as  to  how  she  was,  her 
mother  requested  her  to  uncover  the  fore  part  of  her  right 
leg.  She  did  so  up  to  the  knee.  The  sight  was  most 
revolting,  as  that  of  a  shattered,  shrinking,  fast  withering 
limb.  The  injury  altogether  was  what  I  might  have 
expected  to  see,  not  in  a  female,  but  in  a  man.  The  limb 
had  all  the  appearance  of  being  run  ov(  r  by  a  waggon- 
wheel,  or  shattered  by  a  bullet.  On  a  closer  inspection,  I 
found  that  the  inner  ankle  bone  was  gone.  I  found  that 
the  inner  side  of  the  shin  bone,  from  the  ankle  up  for 
nine  inches,  had  sustained  a  compound  fracture,  and  was 
a  revolting,  raw,  festering  wound.  During  the  suppura- 
tion after  the  injury,  the  young  woman  says  that  many 
splinters  of  bone  came  out,  and  that  the  flesh  dropped  off 
from  the  leg.  The  calf  of  the  leg  is  quite  gone,  and  the 
muscles  have  shrunk  up  to  the  bone.  On  the  opposite 
side  of  the  limb,  above  the  ankle  bone,  she  feels  the  sharp 
point  of  a  bone,  as  if  forcing  its  way  outwards. 

"When  the  sloughing  is  completed,  and  healing  has 
taken  place,  my  opinion  is,  that  the  leg  will  wither  up, 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES  OF  THE  EARTH.  401 

and  become  useless,  or  nearly  so.  It  is  already  shorter 
than  the  other;  the  young  woman  uses  it  by  touching  the 
ground  only  with  her  toes,  and  the  heel  does  not  reach 
the  ground. 

"  I  counted  not  less  than  thirty  scars  of  wounds  from 
the  head  down  to  the  waist,  and  from  the  knee  of  the 
sound  leg  downwards.  These  scars  average  an  inch  in 
length,  some  of  them  are  two  inches  long,  are  knotted,  and 
seem  to  be  marks  of  scourging  with  rods. 

"  This  young  woman  has  also  a  constant  pain  about  the 
middle  of  her  spine.  A  sickening  sensation  frequently 
comes  over  her,  which  is  followed  by  a  cough  that  brings 
up  a  quantity  of  blood.  Naturally  she  is  of  a  delicate 
constitution,  and  if  she  does  not  fall  into  decline  and  die 
from  these  injuries,  it  will  be  a  perfect  marvel.  I  have 
purposely  refrained  from  entering  into  details.  She  has 
received  all  these  injuries  at  the  hands  of  her  husband. 
From  having  seen  her  condition,  I  have  no  hesitation 
in  saying  that  the  rumours  that  have  been  in  circulation 
have  not  presented  the  whole  truth  regarding  her." 

This  harrowing  sight,  ever  present  at  the  chief's  kraal, 
roused  the  indignation  of  theGaleka  people,  and  made  them 
prepare  for  a  vigorous  attack  upon  the  Tambookies,  and 
their  savage  chief.  The  two  hostile  armies  have  since 
met  in  battle,  and  the  Galekas  proved  victorious.  Although 
the  Tambookie  chief  has  become  a  British  subject,  to 
shield  himself  against  an  attack  from  Kreli,  the  wound 
inflicted  by  the  brutal  chief  continues  to  rankle  in  the 
heart  of  every  Galeka. 

Despite  these  adverse  influences,  Tiyo  Soga  held  his 
ground,  and  silently  exercised  his  influence.  A  second 
station  was  formed  mainly  by  his  influence  over  Kreli, 
and  his  councillors,  at  the  Quoloka,  where  the  Rev.  John 

2  c 


402  TIYO   SOGA. 

Dewar  now  labours  ;  an  out-station  near  the  Tutuka  was 
established;  the  site  for  another  field  of  labour  was 
ofiered  by  the  chief  Mapassa,  which  promise  has  since 
been  fulfilled  ;  and  a  systematic  itinerancy  was  carried  on 
by  the  missionary,  and  the  native  evangelists  associated 
with  him.  The  huts,  which  were  his  shelter  in  the  first 
months  of  his  missionary  life  there,  gave  place  to  a  more 
comfortable  dwelling.  At  long  intervals,  one,  and  then 
another,  of  his  heathen  hearers  renounced  their  barbarous 
habits,  and  made  an  open  profession  of  Christianity — the 
first-fruits  of  the  mission  being  a  younger  brother  of  the 
liberal-minded  councillor  Maki.  The  hut,  where  the 
gospel  was  first  preached,  having  succumbed  to  the  rain  and 
damp,  it  became  necessary  to  erect  a  more  durable  house 
of  prayer — the  missionary  himself  to  accomplish  this  task. 
Whilst  there  was  much  to  discourage,  the  Word  of  the 
Lord  made  slow  yet  perceptible  progress.  Despite  all 
the  barbarism  and  superstition,  a  few  were  added  to 
the  church. 

Tiyo  Soga  was  singularly  reticent  about  the  state  of  his 
own  health,  even  to  his  most  intimate  friends  and  associates. 
Any  reference  to  it  seemed  to  wound  his  sensitive  nature. 
Although  the  Mission  Board  had  been  fully  apprised  by 
the  medical  certificate,  which  he  had  sent  to  them,  indi- 
cating what  was  the  nature  of  the  malady,  not  one  of  his 
brethren  in  the  mission  field  was  made  acquainted  with  the 
fact.  They  were  aware  that  he  suffered  from  some 
affection  of  the  throat ;  but  what  it  was,  they  had  not 
discovered.  Singularly  open,  frank,  communicative,  and 
confiding,  on  almost  every  other  subject,  he  seemed  to 
repel  all  minute  inquiries  about  his  health,  and  at  times 
declined  all  demonstrations  of  sympathy  with  his  apparent 
infirm  state  of  health.      Not  until   his  removal  to  the 


IN  THE  DAKK  PLACES   OF  THE  EARTH.  403 

Tutuka,  did  a  missionary  of  the  Berlin  Society  discover, 
by  accident,  the  nature  of  Tiyo  Soga's  affliction.  On 
learning  the  fact,  he  instantly  communicated  with  the 
writer  of  this  memoir,  and  in  the  following  terms : — 

"  Are  you  aware,  my  dear  sir,  that  our  much  respected 
friend,  Mr.  Soga,  suffers  from  laryngitis,  and  that  his 
recovery  will  be  a  rare  chance  ?  He  may  perhaps  linger 
a  year  or  two.  Kaffraria  will  have  to  deplore  an  immense 
loss  in  his  death.  I  should  think  his  brethren  should  do 
their  utmost  to  remove  him  from  his  present  station  to 
King  William's  Town,  where  he  will  have  proper  medical 
treatment,  and  where  he  could  give  all  his  time  and  energy 
to  the  great  work  of  translation.  He  should  also  abstain 
from  all  speaking  in  public. 

(Signed)        W.  Rein." 

On  receipt  of  this  intelligence,  three  brethren,  without 

^waiting  for  a  formal  meeting  of  Presbytery,  wrote  to  Tiyo 

Soga  the  following  letter,  and   in   the  conviction  that 

they  were  expressing  the  sentiments  of  all  his  brethren : — 

"  Henderson,  16th  February,  1869. 

"Dear  Brother, — We,  your  brethren  undersigned, 
have  heard  with  intense  grief  that  you  are  at  present, 
and  have  for  some  time  past  been,  in  a  very  precarious 
state  of  health,  and  that  your  present  symptoms  are  of  an 
alarming  nature. 

"  We  regret  exceedingly  that  this  information  has  not 
come  from  yourself,  but  from  other  persons,  some  of  whom 
are  unconnected  with  our  mission.  We  know,  however, 
that  it  is  from  no  want  of  confidence  in  us  that  you  have 
not  brought  the  matter  plainly  before  us,  so  that  we  might 
have  discussed  it  at  our  last  meeting.   We  know  that  you 


404  TIYO  SOGA. 

would  rather  suffer  silently  and  patiently,  than  appear  to 
desire  to  relinquish  your  post,  or  desert  your  brethren. 

"  From  the  information,  we  have  met  here  this  day  to 
discuss  the  question  of  your  state  of  health ;  and  we  have 
resolved  to  address  this  letter  to  you. 

"  We  offer  you  our  sincerest  sympathy,  in  this  your 
great  affliction ;  and  we  trust  that  Providence  will  over- 
rule events,  in  such  a  way  that  these  alarming  symptoms 
shall  be  checked,  and  means  adopted  for  your  recovery. 
We  wish  you,  therefore,  to  write  us  frankly  on  the  sub- 
ject ;  and  what^er  proposals  you  make,  we  shall  cordially 
and  instantly  second. 

"  We  sent  you  to  your  present  post,  and  asked  you  to 
occupy  the  forefront,  to  face  the  difficulties  of  breaking  up 
a  new  field,  and  thus  removed  you  from  your  comfortable 
dwelling  at  the  Mgwali;  but  now,  that  your  health  is 
suffering,  and  your  strength  daily  declining,  we  as  earnestly 
entreat  you  to  take  into  consideration,  whether  it  would 
not  be  advisable  for  you  to  leave  that  place.  We  desire 
to  know  what  course  you  wish  us  to  recommend  to  the 
Board,  so  as  to  try  to  obtain  your  recovery. 

"  As  the  case  is  urgent,  it  is  unnecessary  for  you  to  wait 
the  decision  of  the  Board,  but  instantly  to  take  such  steps 
as  you  may  best  judge.  We  recommend  you  to  abstain 
from  all  public  speaking,  either  in  preaching  or  addressing 
meetings. 

*•  We  recommend  your  removal  from  the  Tutuka  without 
delay,  for  another  and  more  congenial  locality.  We 
are  at  a  loss  which  place  to  recommend  as  the  most  suit- 
able. We  have  thought  of  King  William's  Town,  Alice, 
the  Queenstown,  and  Cradock  districts.  We  recommend 
that  your  remaining  strength  be  devoted  to  the  work  of 
translation ;  and  if  you  find  that  the  journey  to  King 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES  OF  THE  EARTH.  405 

William's  Town,  to  the  meetings  of  the  Translation  Board, 
are  taxing  your  strength,  to  depute  some  brother  to  repre- 
sent you  at  these  meetings — the  work  of  translation, 
however,  devolving  entirely  upon  yourself.  Two  diffi- 
culties may  present  themselves  to  your  mind  anent  our 
suggestions.  The  first,  how  to  dispose  of  your  family; 
secondly,  how  your  station  may  be  supplied.  Do  not  for 
a  moment  imagine  that  we  recommend  you  to  separate 
from  your  family,  as  they  would  accompany  you.  As  Mr. 
Girdwood  has  got  permission  to  commence  a  new  station, 
and  is  desirous,  from  all  accounts,  speedily  to  occupy  that 
field,  we  would  recommend  him  to  go  to  that  station,  and 
to  make  Tutuka  an  out-station — your  brother  Festire 
being  left  in  charge,  to  conduct  the  services,  and  carry  on 
the  work  which  you  have  begun.  This  seems  to  us  the 
only  way  in  which  the  Tutuka  can,  in  the  meantime,  be 
properly  wrought. 

"  The  urgency  of  the  case  has  prevented  our  meeting 
with  Messrs.  Sclater  and  Girdwood ;  but  we  feel  assured 
that  they  will  cordially  second  our  proposals.  It  is  our 
firm  belief  that  they  will  heartily  approve  of  it,  so  we  beg 
of  you  not  to  be  astonished  at  the  absence  of  their  signa- 
tures. We  cannot  delay  this  matter  until  our  next  meeting. 
We  call  earnestly  upon  you  to  act  without  delay;  and  if, 
in  our  propositions,  there  is  anything  of  which  you  do  not 
approve,  write  us  frankly. 

"  We  trust  that,  in  your  decision,  you  will  obtain  all 
needed  guidance  from  Him,  whose  we  are,  and  that  this, 
our  brotherly  act,  will  result  in  the  desired  object — the 
restoration  of  your  health. 

(Signed)  John  F.  Gumming. 

John  A.  Chalmers. 
James  Davidson." 


406  TIYO   SOGA. 

To  this  letter  Tiyo  Soga  replied  as  follows  : — 

"  TuTUKA,  SSnd  February,  1869. 

"  Dear  Brethren, — I  received  your  letter  of  the  17th 
instant,  expressing  sympathy,  and  making  inquiries  and 
kind  and  important  proposals  regarding  my  health.  On 
repeated  perusal  of  your  letter,  I  have  felt  much  thank- 
fulness to  God  that,  as  a  native  minister,  it  has  been  my 
happiness  to  be  associated  with  brethren  whom,  the  longer 
I  have  known  the  more  I  have  loved,  and  esteemed  very 
highly  for  their  own  and  their  Master's  sake.  I  thank 
you  most  sincerely  for  your  brotherly  concern  for  me,  and 
for  the  readiness,  promptitude,  and  heartiness  with  which 
you  have  shown  a  desire  to  come  to  my  aid  in  time  of 
need.  How  the  report  has  gone  abroad  that  my  health 
is  in  a  precarious  state,  and  that  the  present  symptoms 
are  of  an  alarming  nature,  I  do  not  know,  and  indeed  in 
this  country,  do  not  care  to  inquire. 

"  I  do  not  wish  to  make  myself  either  better  or  worse 
than  I  am.  As  you  want  frankness  on  my  part,  I  assure 
you  that  after  a  chronic  attack  of  laryngitis,  which  I  had 
after  our  conference,  I  am  in  my  tolerable  usual  health. 
For  a  fortnight  after  I  parted  from  you  at  the  Mgwali  I 
was  unwell,  that  is,  '  I  was  out  of  sorts,'  though  not  laid 
up  for  more  than  a  day,  and  was  not  disabled  from  doing 
duty  on  the  Lord's  day.  This  is  all  I  know  of  a  recent 
illness.  As  I  have  said,  I  am  tolerably  well  and  in  good 
spirits.  I  do  not  know,  dear  bretliren,  what  is  meant  by 
alarming  symptoms.  Perhaps  they  do  not  sufficiently 
alarm  me,  and  that  may  be  the  worse  for  me. 

"  Supposing  there  was,  let  Him  do  with  me  as  it  seemeth 
good  in  His  sight.  Four  years  ago,  I  made  my  covenant 
with  death.     Mark  you,  I  do  not  say  that  I  am  well,  or 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES   OF  THE  EARTH.  407 

likely  to  be  as  well  as  I  once  was ;  but  at  present  there  is 
no  reason  to  be  alarmed  on  my  account. 

"  I  think  that  if  I  live  longer,  I  shall  live  as  an  asthmatic 
subject.  No  symptoms  of  pulmonary  consumption  have 
as  yet  appeared,  although  there  is  dulness  on  the  left 
side.  When  these  appear,  as  you  know,  there  could  be  no 
mistake  about  them ;  and  I  have  studied  medicine  in  vain, 
if  I  do  not  also  know  that  any  one  of  them  would  be 
sufficient  to  tell  me  that  my  time  on  earth  was  drawing 
to  a  close,  and  that  my  work  was  done.  I  would  not,  dear 
brethren,  hesitate  to  tell  you  the  whole  truth  in  this  matter 
if  I  knew.  Unless  those  who  know  better  have  not  told 
the  truth  to  me,  they  might  have  spared  their  fears.  I 
attach,  dear  brethren,  grave  importance  to  my  mission 
here.  It  was  at  3/ our  call,  and  that  of  the  Christian 
brethren  of  another  Church,  I  came  here  in  no  robust 
state  of  health.  That  I  knew ;  and  so  did  you,  brethren. 
I  did  not  leave  the  Mgwali  to  find  a  better  home.  On 
what  special  occasion  are  men's  motives  to  be  considered 
pure  and  high,  if  mine  are  not  so  considered  when  I  left 
my  dear  old  home  at  the  Mgwali,  which,  but  for  the  call 
to  come  here,  I  would  rejoice  to  rejoin  to-morrow.  If, 
happily,  this  place  was  to  be  found  to  improve  my 
health,  that  was  but  a  secondary  matter ;  and  I  am  sure 
that,  notwithstanding  much  roughing  in  damp  and  wet 
weather,  I  have  been  better  here  than  latterly  I  was  at 
the  Mgwali. 

"  Aware,  therefore,  of  who  sent  me  here,  and  believing 
in  the  sincerity  of  the  motives  which  urged  me,  whenever 
I  feel  my  health  utterly  failing,  and  the  work  likely  to 
suffer  detriment  through  my  lack  of  service,  this  state  of 
things  I  shall,  as  in  duty  bound,  and  as  in  the  sight  of 
God,  intimate  at  once  to  you. 


408  TITO   SOGA. 

"  After  what  I  have  said,  I  need  not  dwell  on  your 
proposal,  that  I  should  forthwith  leave  the  Tutuka.  I 
would,  however,  assure  you,  dear  brethren,  that  though  it 
would  have  been  a  great  matter  to  say  to  you.  No,  I  would 
not,  though  I  had  been  dying  here,  make  another  change 
of  place,  I  would  prefer  to  finish  my  course,  and  the 
ministry  which  I  hope  I  have  received  of  the  Lord  Jesus, 
among  mine  own  people,  and  in  mine  own  appointed 
sphere  of  labour.  I  have  already  made  two  changes,  at 
some  expense  to  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  in  quest 
of  health — the  one  to  Basutoland,  the  other  to  Cape  Town 
two  years  ago — and  I  shall  not  make  another.  I  am  not,  of 
course,  speaking  of  those  changes  of  air,  which  are  needful 
from  time  to  time  to  benefit  one's  health.  I  refer  to  any 
change  that  might  necessitate  an  absence  of  six  or  twelve 
months,  or  a  final  leave-taking  of  the  Tutuka. 

"  Notwithstanding  what  people  may  say  of  this  place, 
it  is  better  than  such  places  as  Peelton,  King  William's 
Town,  and  AKce,  so  far  as  chest  complaints  are  concerned. 
I  speak  not  unadvisedly.  This  place  is  bare  and  open ; 
but  art  and  skill  must  remedy  that.  God  does  not  always, 
in  every  place,  give  us  every  advantage  of  nature ;  and 
what  is  lacking  must  be  supplied  by  man.  As  for  fogs, 
if  they  are  not  accompanied  by  drizzling  rain,  they  are 
more  soothing  than  oppressive  to  the  chest,  if  an  actual 
attack  happens  to  be  on  when  they  come.  The  fact  is, 
I  hardly  know  any  of  our  present  mission  stations  which, 
after  having  been  selected  with  care  and  consideration,, 
and  proper  inquiries  from  the  natives,  has  not  been  reviled 
by  men;  and,  so  far  as  the  Tutuka  is  concerned,  I  am 
not  going  to  listen  to  them,  and  I  trust  that  the  evil 
speakers  are  safe  in  their  own  fortifications.  The  Mgwali, 
Henderson,  Mbulu,  and  Toleni,  have  all  been  assailed. 


IN  THE  DARK   PLACES  OF  THE  EARTH.  409 

"  I  hope  that  you  will  believe  that  I  have  written  in  all 
brotherly  kindness,  fidelity,  and  sincerity.  On  the  inex- 
pediency of  abandoning  my  present  post,  though  God  were 
cutting  off  my  day  at  once,  I  need  not  enlarge. 

"  In  your  kind  consideration  of  my  circumstances,  you 
have,  in  your  letter,  referred  to  my  joumeyings  from  this 
to  King  William's  Town,  to  attend  the  meetings  of  the 
Translation  Committee.  Many  thanks  for  your  offer  on 
this  matter.  My  friend  and  brother,  Mr.  Chalmers,  must 
be  kind  enough  to  hold  himself  in  readiness  to  revise  my 
M.S.,  and  to  act  for  me  in  case  of  need.  As  the  translation 
of  the  word  of  God  into  Kafir  I  find  to  be  both  a  most 
important  and  interesting  work,  and  most  congenial  with 
present  aims  and  desires,  let  me  ask  you  to  ease  me  rather 
from  attendance  at  our  quarterly  meetings,  except  when 
they  are  on  this  side  of  the  Kei  and  Tsomo.  If  riding  on 
horseback  to  King  William's  Town  should  prove  too  much, 
I  would  take  to  the  mission- waggon. 

"  I  may  state  that,  had  it  not  been  for  pressure  occa- 
sioned by  having  to  go  to  the  conference  in  January  last, 
and  being  unable  a  fortnight  after,  I  should  have  forwarded 
my  M.S.  of  St.  Matthew's  Gospel  to  Mr.  Chalmers  for 
revision ;  but  as  I  am  now  making  up  for  lost  time,  this 
is  impossible.  Thus  then,  dear  brethren,  in  all  frankness 
and  sincerity,  I  have  given  you  an  account  of  all  that 
concerns  me.  From  you  I  have  concealed  nothing,  and 
would  conceal  nothing,  for  better  or  worse.  What  may 
be  beyond  the  present  I  do  not  know ;  and  I  am  content 
in  hope  and  faith,  to  leave  all  with  Him  in  whose  hands 
our  life  is,  and  who  has  the  ordering  of  all  our  ways." 

At  this  time,  as  the  following  letters  show,  Tiyo  was 
conscious  of  his  failing  strength,  and  made  arrangements 
for  the  education  of  three  of  his  sons  in  Scotland.     The 


410  TIYO   SOGA. 

correspondence  reveals  some  features  of  his  character. 
The  break  occasioned  by  the  departure  of  his  three  boys 
forms  also  one  of  the  chief  events  of  his  life,  after  he  had 
been  fairly  settled  at  the  Tutuka. 

To  the  Rev.  Dr.  Anderson  he  writes  on  the  3rd  September, 
18G9  :  "  My  long  and  tried  friend,  the  Rev.  William  Govan, 
of  Lovedale,  has  retired  from  the  tutorship  and  directorship 
of  the  Institution  at  that  place — an  Institution  which  has 
done  much  for  the  races  of  this  country,  black  and  white. 
Although  Mr.  Govan  had  just  brought  the  Seminary  to 
the  highest  point  of  success  in  every  respect,  the  Foreign 
Missions  Committee  of  the  Free  Church  have  introduced 
chano-es,  which  have  necessitated  Mr.  Govan's  retirement. 
These  chancres,  and  the  retirement  of  Mr.  Govan  from  the 
Institution ;  the  expensiveness  of  education  elsewhere  in 
this  colony;  and  the  improbability  of  any  length  of  days 
being  given  to  me — are  reasons  which  have  made  me  think 
seriously  about  the  education  of  my  children.  My  oldest 
boy,  Willie — ^your  own  and  your  son's  namesake — has 
already  been  two  sessions  at  Lovedale  Seminary;  and  the 
present,  which  is  his  third,  will  in  all  likelihood  be  his 
last  there. 

"  In  our  various  colonial  towns,  there  are  Government- 
aided  schools,  which  may  be  attended  by  the  children  of 
all,  black  and  white,  without  distinction ;  but  it  is  a 
question  whether  the  higher  class  of  schools  in  these  towns 
may  be  attended  by  coloured  children,  even  though  their 
parents  are  respectable.  I  do  not  wish  to  be  the  first  to 
raise  this  delicate  question  about  my  children,  as  it  might 
lead  to  a  controversy  which  might  injure  their  prospects 
for  life.  God  has  enabled  me  to  live  down  these  prejudices 
so  far  as  they  concerned  myself;  but  I  would  never  think 
of  subjecting  young  natives  to  an  ordeal  such  as  I  have 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES   OF  THE  EARTH.  411 

passed  through,  especially  at  the  outset  of  their  career, 
lest  they  might  be  ruined  by  it.  At  the  Lovedale  Semi- 
nary our  coloured  children  have  prosecuted  their  studies, 
and  mingled  in  happy  friendship  with  white  boys,  without 
being  put  to  shame  on  account  of  their  colour.  To  bind 
my  boys  down  permanently  at  this  Institution,  admirable 
as  it  is,  would  curb  the  natural  bent  or  inclination  of 
their  minds  with  reference  to  the  future. 

"  I  have  therefore  resolved  to  send  our  three  oldest  boys 
to  Scotland.  The  education  of  the  three  in  Scotland,  for 
one  year,  would  cost  less  than  the  education  of  one  in  a 
single  year  in  this  country  outside  of  the  Lovedale  Semi- 
nary. Mr.  Govan  goes  home  in  February,  and  has  kindly 
undertaken  to  see  them  home,  and  to  be  a  friend  and 
adviser  to  them  as  long  as  he  lives. 

"  I  have  written  specially  to  you,  my  father  and  friend, 
about  them.  I  ask  you  to  favour  ihevii  with  that  friend- 
ship which  you  have  long  shown  to  me,  and  which  I  shall 
never  forget.  I  should  wish  them  to  reside  in  Glasgow, 
in  some  healthy  locality,  in  the  family  of  a  man  who 
would  wisely  influence  them,  and  exercise  authority  over 
them  in  a  judicious  and  kindly  way.  It  would  be  all  the 
more  desirable  that  such  a  one  be  in  connection  with 
John  Street  Church,  as  they  must  be  connected  with  that 
church.  May  I  ask  you  to  see  Mr.  Bogue,  and  act  unitedly 
as  to  what  you  think  would  be  best  for  my  poor  boys. 
To  Mr.  Bogue  I  shall  write  about  their  board  and  clothing, 
and  the  administration  of  funds  for  their  education.  Their 
maternal  grandparents  live  out  of  Glasgow;  but  it  is  only 
in  Glasgow  that  I  can  secure  my  objects — the  education 
of  my  children,  the  influence  of  Christian  friends,  and  the 
moderateness  of  their  maintenance. 

"  They  may  ultimately  separate ;  but  yet,  in  their  youth 


412  TIYO   SOGA. 

I  should  like  them  to  be  together.  Allan  is  almost  too 
young  to  be  away  from  his  parents,  as  he  is  only  eight 
years  of  age;  but  if  he  is  beside  the  others  for  a  few  years 
he  will,  I  think,  with  God's  blessing,  do  well.  I  feel  very 
anxious  about  them.  But  as  they  cannot  always  look  to 
me  or  their  mother,  I  must  place  them  in  a  position  in 
which  they  may  act  for  themselves  as  soon  as  possible. 
Whatever  good  they  obtain  in  Scotland — that  land  of 
great  advantages — I  wish  them  afterwards  to  use  on 
behalf  of  their  own  nation. 

"  I  belong  to  a  long-lived  race.  Had  I  never  left  this 
country,  I  would  have  had  as  excellent  a  constitution  as 
any  of  my  brothers.  Transplantation  to  a  foreign  clime, 
and  want  of  knowledge  and  experience  there,  will 
shorten  my  life.  I  must  prevent  this,  if  possible, 
in  the  case  of  my  children,  from  experience  in  my  own 
case.  I  shall  write  to  Mr.  Bogue  to  insist  upon  two  things : 
that  the  boys  wear  warm  underclothing,  especially  about 
the  chest,  and  have  gymnastic  exercises  once  or  twice  a 
week.  All  the  natives  of  this  country  have  active  bodily 
exercise,  and  are  accustomed  to  live  much  in  the  open  air. 
I  mean  to  tell  the  boys  that  until  they  leave  Europe,  they 
must  not  give  up  gymnastics,  warm  clothing,  and  bathing 
or  sponging  with  cold  water  every  morning." 

On  10th  January,  1870,  he  writes  to  Mr.  Bogue: — 
"  Some  time  ago,  I  wrote  to  Dr.  Anderson  intimating  my 
intention  of  sending  my  three  eldest  boys  to  Scotland 
with  Mr.  Govan,  who  would  leave  this  country  about  the 
end  of  the  last  or  beginning  of  the  present  year.  I  asked 
the  doctor  to  communicate  with  you  on  the  subject.  I 
gave  him  my  reasons  for  sending  them  so  far  away,  and 
at  so  tender  an  age,  as  they  are  respectively  only  in  their 
eighth,  tenth,  and  twelfth  years.     I  have  also  written  to 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES   OF  THE   EARTH.  413 

Dr.  MacGill,  as  an  old  friend  of  the  Kafir  mission.  In 
reply,  Dr.  Anderson  advises  me  by  all  means  to  send  them 
to  Scotland.  Although  it  is  a  matter  that  will  pinch  us 
greatly  in  our  small  income,  I  feel  that  we  must  deny 
ourselves  on  their  behalf,  and  all  the  more  that  I  do  not 
anticipate  long  life  for  myself.  If  God  blesses  my  inten- 
tions regarding  them,  and  answers  my  prayers,  they  may 
all  the  sooner  be  able  to  do  something  for  themselves, 
for  their  mother,  the  younger  children,  and  their  own 
country.  I  send  them  to  you,  my  dear  Christian  friend, 
in  the  full  confidence  that  you  will  show  to  them  the  same 
kindness  as  to  me,  in  the  bygone  days  of  my  sojourn  in 
Scotland  as  a  foreigner. 

"  If  they  act  according  to  my  desires  and  prayers,  they 
go  to  Scotland  to  obtain  an  education  to  benefit  their  own 
countrymen.  They  are  not  needed  in  Scotland,  and  are 
much  required  in  Kafirland.  Although  they  should  be  so 
defective  in  intellectual  powers  as  not  to  rise  higher  than 
tinkers,  they  must  come  home  and  practise  that  craft  for 
the  benefit  of  poor  Kafirland.  Encourage  among  them, 
my  dear  friend,  by  every  means,  love  to  home,  love  to 
country,  and  love  to  race." 

On  8th  February,  1870,  he  writes  to  Mrs.  Macfarlane, 
of  Glasgow : — "  My  eldest  three  boys  are  the  bearers  of 
this  letter  of  introduction  to  you,  and  to  my  good  Christian 
helper  and  friend,  your  husband.  East  London,  from 
which  I  date  this  letter,  is  a  small  seaport  town  from 
which  they  embark  to-morrow  for  Algoa  Bay,  thence  to 
Scotland  under  the  care  of  my  old  teacher,  Mr.  Govan, 
who  goes  to  Scotland  to  end  his  days  there.  I  commend 
them  to  the  friendship  of  your  family ;  and  I  ask  you,  as 
I  have  asked  other  Christian  friends,  to  give  them  all 
needful  advice.     They  leave  a  country  of  comparatively 


414  TIYO   SOGA. 

few  temptations  for  one  brimful  of  dangers.  I  dread  the 
civilized,  refined  sins  and  immoralities  of  Europe,  more 
than  the  native  vices  of  the  Kafirs.  I  have  seen  both, 
and  can  institute  a  fair  comparison.  Were  it  not  that 
my  boys  must  be  educated,  to  become  true  Christian  and 
useful  men,  I  would  keep  them  at  home,  rather  than  send 
them  to  Europe. 

"  The  bell,  presented  to  the  Tutuka  by  Mr.  Macfarlane, 
is  answering  its  noble  purpose  well.  Many  thanks  for  his 
gift.  Nothing  has  delighted  me  so  much  as  the  attendance 
of  the  heathen  Galekas  at  our  services.  I  have  not  seen 
anything  like  it  at  the  Mgwali.  Sunday  after  Sunday,  in 
sunshine  and  in  shade,  they  come  and  still  they  come, 
until  the  few  native  members  at  the  Tutuka  have  in  their 
zeal  resolved  to  erect  for  themselves  and  their  heathen 
brethren  a  more  suitable  place  of  worship  than  a  hut. 

"The  Lord  is  blessing  our  work  among  the  Galekas. 
One  man  has  come  forward  with  his  famity,  as  a  professed 
follower  of  the  Lord  Jesus.  He  is  the  son  of  a  great  man. 
This  is  the  small  beginning  of  a  great  harvest  which,  I 
am  sure,  will  in  due  time  be  gathered  to  the  Lord." 

He  writes  to  Mr.  Bogue  from  East  London,  two  days 
later :  "  The  boys  are  the  bearers  of  this  note.  I  have  been 
waiting  here  three  days  for  the  coasting  steamer,  which 
we  expect  to  take  them  to  Port  Elizabeth,  where  they  join 
Mr.  Govan,  who  takes  them  on  to  Scotland.  I  commit 
them  to  your  care,  my  dear  friend,  and  to  that  of  Dr. 
Anderson.  I  have  entrusted  Mr.  Govan  with  the  sum  of 
£20,  to  carry  them  on  to  Scotland.  The  balance,  if  any, 
I  have  asked  him  to  hand  over  to  you  to  defray  any 
expenses  you  incur  on  their  account.  My  purpose  is  to 
leave  the  half  of  my  half-year's  salary  (£50)  with  Mr. 
Peddie,  forwarding  to  you,  as  the  time  approaches,  an 


IN   THE  DARK  PLACES  OF  THE  EARTH.  415 

order  to  draw  the  amount.  I  trust  that  you  will  let  me 
know  the  amount  of  yearly  expenditure  on  their  behalf. 
Their  passage  home  I  have  paid  out  of  long  savings. 

"  All  the  boys  have  a  good  ear  for  music,  and  good  voices 
for  singing,  and  are  very  fond  of  it.  Willie  has  had  two 
and  a  half  quarters'  lessons  on  the  piano  from  a  lady  who 
teaches  music  in  Alice,  near  to  the  seminary  where  he  was 
a  pupil.  In  order  to  beguile  their  leisure  hours,  during 
the  long  winter  evenings  in  Scotland,  it  might  be  well  if 
they  got  music  lessons — Willie  on  the  piano,  Allan  on  the 
flute  (he  has  one  with  him),  and  John  on  the  violin  or 
flute,  or  whatever  musical  instrument  you  deem  advisable. 
I  merely  suggest  these  things,  knowing  that  they  must 
be  granted  or  withheld  according  to  means.  Introduce 
them  to  Mr.  Niven  and  his  sons,  and  ask  him  to  give 
them  such  advice  as  will  be  for  their  good.  They  will 
need  it  much ;  and  I  beseech  you  and  other  Christian 
friends  not  to  spare  it.  I  now  leave  them  in  your  hands, 
and  in  the  hand  of  Him  who  is  a  father  to  us  and  to 
our  children." 

To  the  Rev.  Henry  Miller,  of  Hammersmith,  London,  he 
writes  on  10th  March,  1870 :  "  I  had  made  every  needful 
arrangement  to  send  my  eldest  three  boys  to  Glasgow. 
The  month  was  fixed,  and  the  steamer  also  in  which  they 
were  to  sail.  Owing  to  our  long  distances  from  one 
another  in  this  country,  the  voyagers  had  to  proceed  to 
difierent  ports.  Mr.  Govan  was  to  embark  at  Port 
Elizabeth;  and  my  boys,  to  save  a  long  tedious  journey, 
were  to  embark  at  East  London,  a  port  nearer  their  home, 
but  still  140  miles  from  the  Tutuka,  and  were  to  be  taken 
thence  by  a  coasting  steamer  to  Port  Elizabeth,  to  join 
their  guardian  (Mr.  Govan)  there,  in  the  Royal  Mail 
steamer,  which  was  to  take  them  all  home. 


416  TIYO  SOGA. 

"  The  month  proved  a  disastrous  one  in  this  country, 
from  rain  and  heavy  gales.  The  coasting  steamer  did  not 
come  up  in  time  to  take  in  my  boys.  She  stuck  fast  in 
the  sands  of  another  port,  and  could  not  keep  her  time  so 
as  to  meet  the  mail  packet ;  and  Mr.  Govan,  to  our  great 
disappointment,  left  our  boys  behind.  He  has  gone  to 
Scotland,  his  native  land,  to  spend  the  remainder  of  his 
days.  I  had  asked  him  to  call  upon  you  with  the  boys, 
that  you  may  give  them  your  counsel  and  blessing.  The 
boys  are  now  to  leave,  if  God  wills  it,  on  19th  April,  under 
the  care  of  the  E,ev.  Mr.  Ash  ton  and  his  wife.  Mr.  Ashton 
is  a  missionary  from  the  interior,  in  connection  with  the 
London  Missionary  Society.  He  does  not  go  further  than 
London.  My  request  of  you  is,  that  as  an  old  beloved 
friend,  you  take  my  boys  from  Mr.  Ashton,  show  them 
what  is  to  be  seen  in  London,  and  send  them  on  to  Glasgow 
to  Mr.  Bogue.  I  am  not  backw^ard  in  asking  this  favour, 
as  I  remember  your  kindness  to  me  of  old,  and  cannot 
think  that  it  is  changed.  I  introduce  my  poor  boys  to 
you.  The  eldest  is  William  Anderson,  the  second  John 
Henderson,  and  the  third  Kirkland  Allan.  They  go  to 
Scotland  not  to  seek  a  fortune.  Oh !  may  they  obtain 
from  their  Heavenly  Father  a  better  inheritance  than  this 
world  can  yield.  They  go  home  to  Scotland,  for  the  benefit 
of  Kauraria.  They  are  needed  here.  Give  them  your  best 
advice,  caution,  and  warning. 

"  John  Henderson  is  lame.  It  has  always  been  a  diffi- 
culty to  get  a  boot  properly  made  for  his  foot.  I  should, 
therefore,  feel  much  obliged  if  you  could  take  him  to  one 
of  those  hospitals,  in  London,  where  his  foot  would  at  once 
be  understood,  and  order  a  boot  for  him. 

"  I  trust  that  the  Lord  is  making  you  abound  with  those 
gifts  and  qualifications,  which  are  so  much  needed  in  a 


IN   THE  DARK   PLACES   OF   THE   EARTH.  4«17 

new  sphere  of  labour.  As  one  of  your  friends,  I  am  anxious 
about  your  change  from  Carlisle  to  London.  I  now  see 
that  congregations  give  utterance  to  mere  sentimentalism, 
or  are  actuated  by  selfish  motives,  or  are  inconsiderate, 
when  they  say  that  a  minister  who  has  done  good  service 
among  them  for  ten  or  twelve  years  should  not  leave 
them.  A  change  is  always  desirable  to  obtain  new  vigour 
and  elasticity,  and  rest  of  mind,  amid  fresh  scenes  of 
ministerial  labour.  May  God  give  you  great  success  in 
Hammersmith ! " 

Writing  to  Mr.  Bogue,  on  17th  March,  1870,  he  says : 
"  I  thank  both  Dr.  Anderson  and  yourself  for  the  ready 
encouragement  which  you  have  given  me  to  send  home 
my  boys.  The  truth  is,  I  cannot  educate  my  children 
here ;  and  I  would  rather  go  in  rags  and  send  them  to 
Scotland,  where,  if  they  behave  themselves,  and  God 
blesses  them,  they  will  get  fair  play.  Unless  old  Adam 
re-asserts  himself  as  they  grow  up,  and  changes  their  dis- 
position, they  have  hitherto  been  very  obedient  boys,  and 
have  given  no  trouble  in  their  training.  I  do  not  forget 
that  they  have  not  yet  reached  the  age  of  promise.  Be 
good  enough  to  get  a  skilful  doctor  to  watch  the  progress 
of  John's  growth,  and  to  acquaint  himself  with  his  consti- 
tution. The  climate  may  try  him.  The  steamer  in  which 
they  will  now  most  probably  sail  is  the  Asia,  of  the 
Diamond  Company.  However,  I  am  not  certain,  as  two 
steamers  sail  at  the  same  time,  and  I  do  not  know 
in  which  Mr.  Ashton  has  taken  passage.  I  shall  know 
more  definitely  when  I  reach  Port  Elizabeth,  whither 
I  am  now  going  to  see  the  boys  off.  I  am  very  much 
pained  to  hear  of  the  death  of  Mrs.  Finlayson.  Our 
friends  are  leaviog  us,  one  by  one.     May  God  prepare 

us  for  our  coming  change ! " 

2  D 


418  TIYO  SOGA. 

Whilst  attending  the  Board  of  Revisers,  at  King  William's 
Town,  during  the  month  of  March,  1870,  he  was  very  much 
cast  down,  brooding  over  the  recent  separation  from  his 
three  boys,  who  had  travelled  overland  with  their  mother 
from  East  London  to  Port  Elizabeth.  As  soon,  therefore, 
as  the  session  closed,  on  hearing  that  they  had  not  sailed, 
and  that  there  was  a  possibility  of  once  more  seeing  them, 
the  desire  became  so  strong  that  he  started  at  once  for 
Port  Elizabeth,  to  bid  his  children  one  last  long  farewell. 
His  stay  at  Port  Elizabeth,  however,  was  lengthened 
beyond  his  expectations,  by  a  severe  attack  of  ague  fever. 
He  and  his,  during  his  severe  and  unexpected  illness, 
received  the  greatest  kindness  under  the  hospitable  roof 
of  the  venerable  Rev.  Roger  Edwards,  who,  for  upwards 
of  fifty  years,  has  been  one  of  the  most  devoted  mission- 
aries of  the  London  Missionary  Society.  This  sojourn 
at  Port  Elizabeth  suggested  the  following  reminiscence. 
It  is  from  the  pen  of  the  Rev.  J.  C.  Macintosh,  minister 
of  the  Congregational  Church  there : — 

"  I  first  met  Tiyo  Soga  when  we  were  both  students  at 
Glasgow  University,  where  he  was  my  junior  by  a  year. 
But  from  our  taking  certain  classes  in  a  slightly  difierent 
order,  we  were  in  the  Logic  and  Moral  Philosophy  classes 
together,  in  both  of  which  Tiyo  Soga  was  a  good  student. 
Though  what  he  had  become  as  a  Christian,  a  man  of 
culture  and  a  preacher,  when  I  met  him  in  my  own  house, 
and  heard  him  preach  in  my  own  pulpit,  in  his  own  land, 
sixteen  years  later,  struck  me  far  more  than  any  college 
exercises  or  intercourse  with  him. 

"  At  the  earlier  time,  I  knew  almost  nothing  of  his 
unfavourable  start,  and  debasing  early  surroundings.  As 
the  one  man  of  his  people  in  the  University;  as  the 
personal  friend  of  all  the  spiritually  earnest  United  Pres- 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES   OF  THE   EARTH.  419 

byterian  students,  who  had  manifestly  resolved  to  make 
him  feel  at  home  among  us;  as  himself,  so  modest,  diligent, 
pleasant,  intelligent,  and  good  ;  as  the  first  Kafir  college- 
bred  minister  among  us,  he  was  an  avowed  pet  in  his 
classes,  heartily  ruffed  by  his  fellow-students  when  he  did 
well,  and  helped,  if  possible,  by  professor  and  students 
when  he  needed  help. 

"  We  could  not  have  been  impartial  in  such  a  case.  "We 
would  have  been  much  worse  fellows  than  we  were,  if  he 
had  not  in  the  circumstances  been  much  made  of.  It  was 
not  easy  for  a  stranger  to  his  race  and  antecedents,  and 
almost  to  himself  in  private,  to  see  aright  the  full  mental 
stature  of  the  man.  But  even  then,  when  measured  with 
other  University  men,  there  was  to  outside  observers  like 
myself  much  promise,  and  much  not  unripe  fruit. 

"  On  coming  to  this  land,  I  soon  and  often  heard  most 
favourably  of  him  and  his  work,  and  from  many  quarters. 
When  last  in  Port  Elizabeth,  early  in  1870,  I  saw  a  good 
deal  of  him,  and  with  much  satisfaction  heard  him  preach. 
The  flesh  was  visibly  weak ;  but,  for  the  time,  the  willing 
spirit  mastered  it  so  fully  as  to  extract  the  most  efiectual 
co-operation  from  its  frail  partner. 

"  His  sermon  on  this  occasion  was  a  noble  one,  and 
effectively  spoken  to  a  large  appreciative  audience,  of 
which  he  had  a  firm  hold.  The  man  himself,  in  his 
unfeigned  goodness,  was  more  and  better  than  the  sermon, 
although  it  was  manifestly  part  of  him — most  truly  his 
own,  not  only  in  matter  but  also  in  spirit,  the  ripe  growth 
of  all  the  years,  and  of  all  the  influences  that  had  passed 
over  him.  By  this  time  it  was  just  as  manifest  that 
strength  for  such  efforts  was  being  borrowed,  at  a  heavy 
interest  soon  to  be  repaid.  It  was  such  a  sermon,  though 
doubtless  the  preacher  wished  it  not,  and  meant  it  not  in 


420  TIYO  SOGA. 

that  sense,  as  carried  near  to  the  very  eyes  of  his  hearers 
the  broad  seal  of  heaven,  engraven  with  his  own  commis- 
sion to  preach  the  Gospel.  Men  of  widely  differing  creeds 
saw  and  owned  his  commission.  The  breadth  and  all- 
sidedness  of  his  appeals  to  our  complex  nature  struck  me 
most  in  the  sermon,  as  I  viewed  it  mentally;  and  morally 
it  showed  maturity,  unearthliness,  and  the  evident  nearness 
to  his  own  view  of  visions  from  afar. 

"  In  private  this  spiritual  ripeness  was  even  more  mani- 
fest. Tiyo  Soga  and  my  nearest  and  dearest  died  in  the 
same  month  of  the  same  year,  at  the  same  age,  and  of  the 
same  disease.  Whilst  on  this  visit  I  soon  saw  in  him 
what  I  had  so  often  seen  in  her — ripeness,  unworldliness, 
peace,  a  certain  removedness,  which,  though  felt,  it  were 
hard  to  describe  from  my  own  spiritual  standpoint.  I 
was  too  much  startled  to  find  how,  though  almost  strangers, 
they  drew  together,  and  liked  to  meet  and  talk,  to  be  able 
to  banish  the  remembrance  that  I  then  saw,  as  being  after 
all  a  mere  imagination.  Even  then  I  knew  it  to  be  in 
both  a  growing  meetness  for  the  inheritance  of  the  saints 
in  light.  I  have  no  doubt  that  they  saw  it  in  each  other. 
I  then  hoped  for  both  more  days  than  were  granted. 

"  A  painfully  instructive  yet  amusing  episode,  though 
singular  in  my  experience,  and  in  some  respects  much  to  be 
regretted,  occurred  at  this  time  in  a  ministerial  meeting 
which  has  been  held  in  Port  Elizabeth  monthly  for  the  last 
seven  years.  Our  late  brother  was  present,  one  morning, 
as  a  welcome  and  honoured  visitor,  at  one  of  these  meetings, 
held  in  the  house  of  an  aged  veteran  of  the  mission  field, 
whom  God  also  took  to  his  rest  in  August,  1870.  One  of 
our  worthiest  of  a  not  unworthy  band  of  workmen — some 
of  whom  are  now  divided  by  oceans  and  continents,  and 
some  by  the  veil  unseen — whose  turn  it  was  to  read  an 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES  OF  THE  EARTH.      421 

essay,  thought  good,  in  that  temporary  absence  of  wisdom 
which  sometimes  falls  upon  the  wisest,  to  introduce,  con- 
trary to  all  usage  and  without  any  warning,  as  his  essay 
for  this  morning  a  commendation  of  his  own  Church  as 
the  pure  jure  divino  article,  with  a  corresponding  condem- 
nation of  the  other  Churches  represented  in  our  meeting. 
As  was  to  be  expected,  this  mistaken  act  was  objected  to 
and  resented,  and  the  erring  brother  experienced  moderate 
applications  of  the  rod  to  himself  and  his  Church,  though 
in  love,  which  were  administered  by  each  man  in  his  own 
measure  and  fashion. 

"  Tiyo  Soga,  sitting  silent  and  grave,  declined  to  make 
any  remark  on  the  essay  in  his  turn,  which  came  last.  But 
when  we  had  all  said  our  say,  he  gave  us  a  general,  and 
in  some  cases  a  special,  rebuke  or  exhortation,  all  round, 
counselling  unity  in  sentiment,  prayer,  and  work.  Itwas  an 
instructive  scene,  when  we  remember  who  spoke.  No  one 
had  said  anything  unworthy  of  himself  and  his  position ; 
but  an  error  of  judgment  had  been  committed,  and  strong 
words  were  spoken  in  reply.  Our  Kafir  brother,  alone 
among  a  half-dozen  European  ministers,  to  whom  he  spoke 
the  word  of  exhortation,  seemed  to  some  of  us  the  calmest 
man  there.  He  was  nearing  the  perfect  Church,  and 
perhaps  he  saw  more  of  its  spirit  than  others  did.  His 
spirit  knew  a  great  calm." 

In  due  course,  after  returning  to  his  station,  he  heard 
with  a  joyful  heart  of  the  safe  arrival  of  his  children  in 
England ;  and  was  specially  gratified  to  hear  of  their  good 
behaviour,  as  well  as  of  the  provision  made,  by  the  Mission 
Board  of  the  United  Presbyterian  Church,  for  their  educa- 
tion. To  Mr.  Bogue,  on  8th  June,  1870,  he  writes :  "  When 
I  returned  from  Port  Elizabeth,  three  weeks  ago,  whither 
I  had  gone  with  Mrs.  Soga  to  see  our  boys  embark,  a  letter 


422  TIYO   SOGA. 

was  awaiting  me  from  Dr.  MacGill.  I  found,  to  my  great 
surprise  and  joy,  that  the  Mission  Board  had  shown  extra- 
ordinary liberality  towards  them.  Willie  and  John  are  to 
participate  in  the  benefits  of  the  Ladies'  Scheme  for  the 
Education  of  Missionaries'  Children  from  January,  1870. 
As  for  Allan,  who  has  not  yet  reached  the  age  specified  in 
the  schedule,  the  Mission  Board  will,  in  the  meantime, 
give  him  an  allowance  of  £25  per  annum  from  the  Foreiga 
Missions'  Fund.  Thus,  then,  you  will  have  to  draw  £85 
annually  on  their  behalf.  I  had  not  asked  the  Mission 
Board  to  do  anything  for  my  children.  I  simply  wrote  to 
Dr.  MacGill,  informing  him  of  my  purpose  to  send  them 
to  Scotland  with  Mr.  Govan,  and  gave  him  my  reasons 
fof"  so  doing.  The  result  is  as  I  have  stated.  Being  a 
foreigner,  I  did  not  in  the  least  expect  that  I  would  be 
allowed  to  share  in  the  advantages  enjoyed  by  European 
missionaries  in  the  education  of  their  children.  My 
purpose  was  to  deny  ourselves  of  every  comfort  on  their 
behalf  I  was  prepared  to  part  with  the  half  of  my  salary 
to  have  them  educated.  I  feel  truly  thankful  to  the 
Mission  Board ;  and  I  trust  that  the  boys  will  not  disap- 
point the  hopes  of  so  many  interested  in  their  welfare." 

To  the  Rev.  Henry  Miller,  who  had  welcomed  these  boys 
to  London,  and  showed  them  kindness  for  their  father's 
sake,  he  writes  on  ]  0th  August,  1870  : — "  I  received  your 
letters  of  9th  and  10th  May,  and  24th  June.  Words  fail 
me,  my  dear  friend,  to  express  to  you  and  Mrs.  Miller  my 
gratitude,  yea,  my  admiration  of  your  brotherly  and 
sisterly  kindness  and  attention  to  my  poor  boys.  I  wrote 
you,  my  dear  brother,  with  the  greatest  confidence  in  the 
goodness  of  5^our  heart,  having  experienced  in  my  own 
case,  in  our  early  days,  many  kind  acts  from  your  generous 
sympathizing  heart,  and  the  reception,  which  you  and  Mrs. 


IN   THE  DARK   PLACES   OF   THE    EARTH.  423 

Miller  have  given  to  those  foreign  boys,  has  proved  that  I 
was  not  mistaken  in  cherishing  that  confidence.  Though 
I  lamented  the  loss  of  the  opportunity  of  sending  them 
with  Mr.  Govan,  God  could  not  more  graciously  have 
ordered  all  things  for  their  comfort  and  safety.  Every 
thing  you  did  for  them,  the  great  pains  you  took  to 
obtain  the  best  medical  advice  for  John's  leg,  the  economy 
with  ^hich  you  have  managed  everything,  and  your  good 
lady's  particular  attention  to  their  wants  evoke  from  me 
a  song  of  gratitude,  which  is  but  feebly  expressed  in  these 
lines.  But  inadequate  as  my  thanks  are,  receive  them 
because  they  are  uttered  in  all  sincerity. 

"  I  am  much  pleased  to  hear  that  the  boys  have  been 
behaving  well.  Poor  fellows,  I  should  not  have  been 
surprised  to  hear  that  they  had  got  themselves  into  some 
scrape,  when  they  came  into  contact  with  society  so  very 
different,  in  every  respect,  from  what  they  had  left. 
Though  they  are  but  boys,  they  must  now  push  their  way 
in  the  world.  Consider  them  as  in  a  sense  your  own,  give 
them  all  kindly  warning,  advice,  and  instruction.  My 
prayer  to  God  is  that  they  may  be  saved,  and  be  the  means 
of  bringing  salvation  to  their  own  perishing  countrymen 
here.  I  told  them,  when  they  left  me,  that  although  their 
mother  is  white,  they  were  to  consider  themselves  black 
men,  and  that  they  were  to  take  their  place  as  Kafirs — a 
race  of  which  they  need  never  be  ashamed,  as  being  the 
noblest  among  barbarians.  Their  family  on  the  father's  side 
is  A.  1.  among  the  Gaika  tribes,  and  comes  of  a  long  line 
of  powerful,  eloquent,  independent  councillors.  I  can  now 
tell  you  these  things.  When  I  was  with  you,  I  soon  saw 
that  Scotchmen  disliked  egotism  above  all  things.  I 
myself  abhor  it  in  any  man.  I  can  now  tell  you  from 
this  far-ofi"  South  Africa,  that  among  my  own  people  lam 


424  TIYO   SOGA. 

a  Kafir  of  the  Kafirs.  To  me  that  fact  is  a  mere  straw 
driven  by  tlie  wind ;  but  you,  Englishmen,  lay  great  stress 
on  such  things,  and  sometimes  1  see  it  is  of  advantage  to 
tell  them  that  socially,  although  not  politically,  we  too  can 
lay  claim  to  as  honourable  an  ancestry  as  they  can.  The 
liberality  of  your  brother  Robert  to  the  boys,  and  to  the 
Board  of  Translators  of  the  Kafir  Bible,  has  amazed  me. 
The  good  deeds  of  such  a  man  are  above  being  acknow- 
ledged by  thanks." 

On  this  subject,  and  on  the  same  date  he  writes  to 
Robert  Miller,  Esq.,  London: — "I  ask  you  to  take  an 
interest  in  these  foreign  boys.  They  are  not  white  men, 
but  Kafirs.  They  know  that.  My  heart's  desire  and 
prayer  to  God  is  that  they  may  be  saved  to  be,  under 
God,  the  salvation  of  their  own  people.  Pray  that  this 
may  be  realized.  Do  interest  yourself  on  their  behalf,  by 
making  enquiries  after  their  welfare." 

Five  letters  are  preserved,  which  Tiyo  wrote  to  his  boys. 
To  educate  them  he  was  willing  to  forfeit  every  comfort, 
and  take  for  his  own  use  only  one  half  of  his  salary. 
Such  parental  concern  is  rarely  surpassed  in  this  world  ! 
Two  of  these  letters  are  now  placed  before  the  reader. 
The  first  is  addressed  to  his  three  children : — 

"  8th  June,  1870. — May  God  bless  you  all,  my  dear  boys; 
may  the  Lord  Jesus  bless  you  all ;  and  may  God  the  Holy 
Spirit,  the  one  eternal  God,  bless  you  all.  Amen.  Ten 
days  after  you  left  Port  Elizabeth,  I  got  so  much  better 
that  I  was  able  to  start  for  home.  It  took  us  five  weeks 
to  reach  the  Tutuka.  The  rains  which  fell  after  we 
started,  were  worse  than  those  during  our  travel  to  East 
London.  We  reached  home  all  well.  I  am  much  stronger, 
and  the  fever  from  which  I  suffered  has  nearly  gone.  We 
found  all  your  friends  well,  grandma,  Gxavu,  Festire's 


IN    THE  DARK   PLACES   OF   THE   EARTH.  425 

family  and  all  the  little  boys,  his  sons,  your  cousins. 
Joello  and  Bella  ask  me  to  say  to  you  that  they  love  you, 
that  when  they  are  both  big  they  will  write  to  you,  and 
that  when  you  are  big  men  you  are  to  come  back. 

"  They  asked  me  if  you  had  food  in  the  ship  ?  and  if 
you  had  pudding  ?  and  if  you  had  fruit  ?  and  if  you  had 
bananas  ?  When  I  told  them  that  you  had  plenty  of 
everything,  they  then  asked  me  how  your  food  was  cooked, 
and  who  cooked  it  ?  They  are  both  well,  and  so  is  little 
Frances ;  and  they  send  their  love  to  you. 

"  We  got  Willie's  letters,  written  from  Cape  Town  and 
near  St.  Helena,  telling  us  how  you  all  were.  They  were 
very  good  letters  indeed,  especially  the  one  from  Cape 
Town.  They  gave  us  all  the  news  w^e  wished  to  know ; 
we  thank  Willie  very  much  for  them,  and  hope  the  letters, 
that  come  afterwards,  will  be  as  full  of  news  as  those  we 
have  received.  I  expect  that  in  scholarship  they  will  be 
still  better. 

"  I  think  Willie  should  write  a  letter  in  the  name  of  you 
all  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morgan  of  Cape  Town,  and  to  Mr. 
Stretch  of  Glenavon,  Somerset  East.  Willie  should  thank 
these  friends  for  their  kindness  to  you,  and  give  them 
some  account,  however  short,  of  your  voyage  to  England, 
and  your  journey  to  Scotland. 

"  I  hope,  Willie,  you  have  not  forgotten  when  you  are 
all  alone,  now  and  again,  to  read  from  the  book  I  have 
written  for  you  and  them.  Do  not  make  light  of  it. 
Read  it  often  together,  and  God's  blessing  will  be  upon  you. 

"  Among  many  things,  I  am  very  anxious  about  your 
behaviour  before  people.  Behave  well,  my  boys.  Mr. 
Ashton  says  that  you  behaved  well  on  board.  I  hope  Mr. 
Bogue,  and  Dr.  Anderson,  and  the  person  you  lodge  with, 
will  say  the  same  when  they  write.     Take  care  and  be 


426  TIYO   SOGA. 

not  forward,  rude,  talkative,  silly  boys.  Be  sedate,  quiet, 
cheerful,  and  gentleraanly. 

"Take  care  what  boys  you  associate  with.  Be  sure 
that  they  are  good  boys,  and  belong  to  Christian  families. 
There  are  many  wicked  boys  in  Glasgow ;  very,  very  bad 
boys.  Beware  of  them.  I  think  often,  very  often  of  you, 
and  pray  for  you  all,  night  and  day." 

On  28th  December,  1870,  he  writes  to  his  son  John : — 
"  I  was  glad  to  get  a  letter  from  you.  I  thank  you  for  it. 
I  was  much  pleased  to  find  that  you  remembered  what  I 
said  to  you  when  we  parted.  Try  to  keep  it  long  in 
remembrance,  my  dear  boy.  God's  blessing  always  attends 
those  boys  who  remember  and  act  up  to  the  advice  given 
by  their  father.  I  was  glad  to  see  a  letter  from  you, 
because  it  shows  that  you  have  made  some  progress  in 
learning  since  you  left.  Say  to  Allan  that  papa  was 
glad  to  see  that  his  little  boy  had  written  a  letter  to  his 
sister  Bella.  Do  not  forget  your  friends,  my  dear  boys. 
Remember  them,  and  pray  for  them ;  and  pray  always  to 
be  good  boys,  and  good  men  yourselves.  Grandmother  is 
well,  and  often  speaks  of  Willie,  and  John,  and  Allan  as 
her  favourite  grandboys.  The  name  of  your  little  sister 
is  Jessie  Margaret,  after  your  mamma  and  her  sister 
Margaret.  Have  you  seen  your  grandpa  and  your  aunts  ? 
You  must  be  good  friends  to  them,  and  when  you  have 
time,  ask  Mr.  Bogue  to  give  you  leave  to  go  and  see  them. 
Never  go  anywhere  without  leave  from  Mr.  Bogue.  I 
hope  you  are  good  and  obedient  boys  to  Miss  Blackstock. 
You  must  be  ready  to  serve  her,  and  to  go  her  messages. 
Good-bye.     May  God  be  with  you." 

The  closing  sentences  of  Tiyo  Soga's  report  of  his 
mission  work,  for  1870,  give  a  bird's-eye  view  of  his 
year's  labours.     No  great  ingathering  from  the  ranks  of 


IN  THE  DARK  PLACES   OF  THE  EARTH.  427 

heathenism  is  reported ;  but  he  who  would  expect  much, 
must  surely  forget  the  intense  depravity  and  obstinacy  of 
the  human  heart.  "  You  will  be  pleased  to  remember 
that  Somerville  is  a  mission  field  of  only  recent  origin, 
and  that  consequently  the  results  of  our  labours  must 
present  a  meagre  aspect  in  an  annual  report.  Our  mem- 
bership is  still  small — only  18  native  Christians.  No 
additions  during  the  year.  The  Missionary's  Bible  Class 
of  inquirers  is  still  small,  seven  in  all — there  having  been 
an  accession  of  five  persons  during  the  year.  Everything 
is  still  on  a  small  scale  except  the  attendance  of  heathen 
at  church.  Our  week-day  school  has  only  27  scholars  on 
the  roll.  The  same  number  of  children  attend  the  Sabbath 
school.  The  girls'  school  has  18  scholars  on  the  roll. 
The  languages,  taught  in  all  these  schools,  are  Kafir  and 
English.  In  the  good  providence  of  God  we  are  com- 
pleting our  new  native  church,  which  is  40  feet  by  25  feet. 
We  have  fixed  the  opening  of  it  to  take  place  on  2nd 
April,  1871 ;  and  on  the  5th,  a  public  meeting  will  be 
held  for  rejoicing,  thanksgiving,  and  making  of  speeches 
to  encourage  one  another  in  the  good  way  and  work. 
More  of  this,  after  these  days,  if  God  is  pleased  to  spare  us. 

"The  Sabbath  services  on  the  station  belong  to  me. 
The  summer  being  the  wettest  season  of  the  year  in  this 
country,  itinerating  with  me  has  been  impossible,  sufiering 
as  I  have  been  with  chronic  asthma.  Still  I  have  only 
been  laid  up  for  two  Sabbaths  during  the  year,  and  on  all 
the  rest  have  preached  the  Gospel  when  at  home. 

"The  past  year  has  given  us  abundant  ground  to 
believe  and  hope  that  the  Galekas  have  sincerely  opened 
an  entrance  for  the  Word  of  God  among  them.  There 
have  been  threatening  signs  of  war,  but  they  have  not 
failed  to  recognise  the  fact  of  the  existence  of  the  Gospel 


428  TIYO   SOGA. 

among  them.  Wherever  the  influence  of  the  mission 
extends,  and  within  a  radius  of  ten  miles  where  the  three 
evangelists  labour,  the  sacredness  of  God's  day  has  been 
respected,  and  the  attendance  at  religious  ordinances  has 
been  all  that  could  be  wished.  The  attendance  of  the 
heathen  at  the  church  on  the  station  has  been  such  as  to 
call  forth  our  admiration  and  our  gratitude  to  God.  It 
has  averaged  150.  The  chief  Kreli,  his  sons,  and  brothers, 
have  also  signalized  the  past  year  by  the  frequency  of 
their  presence  at  church  on  the  Lord's  day,  thus  assuring 
us  of  their  personal  goodwill  to  the  mission,  and  encour- 
aging their  people  to  listen  to  the  preaching  of  God's  word. 
Such  are  the  results  of  our  general  work  during  the  past 
year  in  the  Galeka  country.  We  stand  much  in  need  of 
the  presence  and  the  blessing  of  the  three-one  God ;  and 
we  ask  the  prayers,  the  sympathies,  and  the  encouragement 
of  all  who  love  the  Lord  Jesus  in  sincerity." 


CHAPTER     XXI. 

CHARACTERISTICS. 

"  '  Ne  crede  colori,'  the  Poet  erst  sang — 
Appearances  ever  delude ; 
But  white  is  the  hue,  that  to  us  is  genteel, 
The  black  one,  of  course,  is  tabooed ! " 

Before  passing  to  the  closing  chapter,  or  venturing  to 
describe  the  various  incidents  connected  with  the  last  few 
months  of  his  life,  it  is  well  to  pause  and  enumerate 
some  of  the  distinguishing  features  of  Tij^o  Soga's  character. 
In  one  of  the  letters  written  to  his  boys,  mention  is  made 
of  a  book  which  he  gave  them  on  leaving  their  native 
shores,  and  which  he  enjoined  them  to  peruse  in  secret. 
This  was  a  small  note-book  entitled  "  The  Inheritance  of 
my  Children,"  containing  sixty-two  short  pithy  maxims 
for  their  future  guidance.  To  publish  it  to  the  world 
would  rob  it  of  its  sacredness,  and  to  reveal  to  the  public 
gaze  what  was  intended  to  be  seen  and  read  only  by  his 
own  children.  Such  extracts  as  are  illustrative  of  his  own 
character  may  with  propriety,  however,  be  placed  before 
our  readers : — 

"  The  things  I  am  here  writing  and  collecting  for  you, 
my  dear  children,  are  founded  on  experience,  observation, 
and  reflection.  If  you  carefully  attend  to  them  they  may, 
with  the  blessing  of  God,  be  of  some  service  to  you  in  this 
world — a  world  to  the  opinions,  usages,  prejudices,  and 


430  TIYO  SOGA. 

trials  of  which  you  must  accommodate  yourselves,  if  you 
would  do  well  in  it,  without  however  compromising  truth 
and  righteousness. 

"  I.  Among  some  white  men  there  is  a  prejudice  against 
black  men;  the  prejudice  is  simply  and  solely  on  account 
of  colour.  For  your  own  sakes  never  appear  ashamed 
that  your  father  was  a  Kafir,  and  that  you  inherit  some 
African  blood.  It  is  every  whit  as  good  and  as  pure  as 
that  which  flows  in  the  veins  of  my  fairer  brethren.  It 
is  said  that  in  America  half-coloured  people  manifest  the 
utmost  hatred  to  the  negroes  who  are  of  pure  African 
blood.  It  seems  to  be  a  matter  of  regret  to  them  that 
they  approach  in  any  degree  to  this  despised  colour.  I 
have  also  myself  seen  the  desire  of  half-coloured  people  to 
be  considered  altogether  white. 

"  I  want  you,  for  your  own  future  comfort,  to  be  very 
careful  on  this  point.  You  will  ever  cherish  the  memory 
of  your  mother  as  that  of  an  upright,  conscientious,  thrifty. 
Christian  Scotchwoman.  You  will  ever  be  thankful  for 
your  connection  by  this  tie  to  the  white  race.  But  if  you 
w^ish  to  gain  credit  for  yourselves — if  you  do  not  wish  to 
feel  the  taunt  of  men,  which  you  sometimes  may  be  made 
to  feel — take  your  'place  in  the  world  as  coloured,  not  as 
white  men ;  as  Kafirs,  not  as  Englishmen.  You  will  be 
more  thought  of  for  this  by  all  good  and  wise  people,  than 
for  the  other.  It  will  show  them  that  you  care  not  for  the 
slight  put  by  the  prejudices  of  men  upon  one  class  of  men, 
who  happen  to  differ  from  them  in  complexion.  I  consider 
it  the  height  of  ingratitude  and  impiety,  for  any  person  to 
be  discontented  with  the  complexion  which  God  has  given 
him.  I  am  sure  no  true  Christian  would  ever  feel  the 
shadow  of  a  pang  upon  this  point.  It  is  equally  the  height 
of  wickedness,  a  libel  against  God's  creation,  for  men  to 


CHARACTERISTICS.  431 

hate  others  for  differing  in  skin  from  themselves.  You, 
my  children,  belong  to  a  primitive  race  of  men,  who,  amid 
man}^  imamiable  points  stand  second  to  none  as  to  nobility 
of  nature.  The  Kafirs  will  stand  high  when  compared  in 
all  things  with  the  uncivilized  races  of  the  world.  They 
have  the  elements  out  of  which  a  noble  race  might  be 
made ! 

"  II.  I  am  (without  being  at  all  lifted  up  by  this,  God 
knows  !)  considered  a  fortunate  man  by  some  people.  I 
have  got  to  a  point  of  respectability  in  society,  to  a  position 
which  many  considered  impossible  for  a  black  man ;  yet 
it  never  was  impossible,  blessed  be  God  !  It  is  only  cir- 
cumstances, in  the  providence  of  God  that  have  made  a 
difference  of  natural  capacity  and  intelligence.  Under 
favourable  circumstances  the  reason  of  the  black  man  is 
capable  of  as  much  improvement  and  enlightenment  as 
that  of  the  white.  Let  men,  who  are  interested  in  the 
perpetuation  of  such  opinions  rave  as  they  may,  God  has 
made  from  creation  no  race  of  men  mentally  and  morally 
superior  to  other  races.  They  are  all  equal  in  these 
respects ;  but  education,  civilization,  and  the  blessings  of 
Christianity  have  made  differences  among  men. 

"  The  position  to  which  I  attained,  as  a  black  man, 
among  white  men,  has  been  by  the  blessing  of  God  owing 
to  the  following  things : — I  had  always  a  great  desire  for 
learning,  and  improvement.  My  mind  was  early  and  deeply 
impressed  with  religious  convictions.  To  my  superiors ; 
to  my  instructors,  and  ministers ;  to  any  whom  I  knew 
to  be  no  equal  of  mine  I  yielded  implicit  obedience.  I 
sought  to  be  humble,  obedient,  willing,  and  diligent  in 
anything  I  had  to  do.  Above  all,  though  alas !  I  have 
not  always  been,  I  desired  to  be  ruled  by  the  fear  of  God, 
my  Heavenly  Father. 


432  TIYO  SOGA. 

"  III.  You  will  not  get  on  among  good  people  if  you  are 
vain,  proud,  conceited.  Vanity,  pride,  conceit,  boastfulness, 
and  egotism  are  very  hateful  features  in  a  man's  character. 
Avoid  them  above  all  things. 

"  IV.  In  learning  anything,  be  it  the  arts  or  the  sciences, 
law,  literature,  theology,  language,  any  trade  or  profession 
whatever,  go  to  the  foundation  of  it.  Be  familiar  with  the 
elements,  which  are  the  true  key  to  that  particular  branch 
of  knowledge.  If  you  do  not  this,  you  will  only  know 
things  by  halves,  be  superficial,  shallow,  and  never  excel. 

"  V.  What  a  great  thing  self-confidence  is  !  The  greater 
part  of  young  people  do  not  have  it.  When  I  entered  the 
Glasgow  University  I  had  very  little  of  it.  I  believe  now 
that  if  I  had  had  a  little  more  I  would  have  got  on  better 
in  what  is  called  the  taking  of  prizes,  though  my  advan- 
tages were  poor  compared  with  those  of  more  than  half  of 
my  fellow-students.  Success  in  colleges,  in  young  men's 
and  other  societies,  on  platforms,  in  divinity  halls,  in  the 
pulpit, and  in  many  other  things  hangs  upon  self-confidence, 
even  to  a  man  of  ordinary  capacity.  Whatever  you  know 
you  can  do  or  say,  do  it,  say  it,  even  when  the  doing  or 
the  saying  is  attended  with  fear.  Be  courageous,  early  ; 
but  not  insolently  or  vainly  so.  Be  manly,  early.  You 
will  yet  see  that  all  the  difference  between  the  success  of 
some  men  and  the  failure  of  others  mainly  lies  in  the 
possession  or  in  the  want  of  self-confidence,  courage,  and 
manliness 

"  VII.  Love  men  ;us  men,  your  fellow-creatures.  I  have 
heard  Englishmen  speaking  contemptuously  of  Germans, 
Frenchmen,  &c.  I  have  heard  Kafirs  doing  the  same  in 
reference  to  Fingoes  and  Tambookies.  If  this  is  right,  he 
who  takes  a  prejudice  against  you,  because  you  are  Kafirs, 
must  be  right.     No  man  should  dislike  others,  because 


CHARACTERISTICS.  433 

they  are  not  like  himself,  or  are  not  his  countrymen.  You 
will  find  much  of  this  among  men.  But  the  law  of  God  is ; 
'  Love  all  men.'    .... 

"  X.  When  you  receive  an  irritating  or  insulting  message 
or  letter  from  a  person,  do  not  sit  down  and  answer  it, 
though  he  may  conclude  '  An  immediate  answer  will 
oblige.'  Wait  for  two  or  more  days  until  you  are  perfectly 
calm,  and  you  will  find  that  you  can  write  in  a  difierent 
spirit  from  that  which  would  have  dictated  your  letter 
at  first.  Perhaps  in  the  course  of  that  time,  your  thoughts 
will  change  in  reference  to  the  affair,  and  you  will  adopt 
a  different  line  of  conduct  towards  the  person.  .  .  . 

"  XIV.  Set  your  face  against  scandal — the  assassination 
of  a  neighbour's  character.  If  you  cannot  defend  another, 
do  not  hear  him  maligned.  Scandal  is  easily  put  down  if 
you  can  only  muster  courage  to  say :  'I  will  not  sit  and 
listen  to  defamation  of  character.'    .... 

"  XIX.  Do  not  judge  men  by  their  ^irs^  looks.  You  will 
make  mistakes.  You  will  be  in  danger  of  pronouncing 
unfavourably  against  a  plain  face,  which  ^et  may 
indicate  a  sterling  character ;  and  oil  the  other  hand  you 
may  be  taken  with  the  fair  countenance  of  a  veritable 
rogue 

"  XXXI.  The  more  that  I  know  of  good  English  people, 
the  greater  is  my  admiration  for  them  as  a  race.  There 
beat  within  their  breasts  the  warmest  hearts  under 
heaven,  I  believe.  I  know  nothing  of  the  justice  of  other 
nations;  but  I  know  something  of  the  '/airplay'  of  an 
Englishman.  Cultivate  the  love,  the  esteem  of  the  good 
among  this  great  people.  If  you  are  genuine  to  them, 
they  will  be  genuine  to  you 

"  XXXVII.  As  men  of  colour,  live  for  the  elevation  of 
your  degraded,  despised,  down-trodden  people.    My  advice 

2e 


434  TIYO   SOGA. 

to  all  coloured  people  would  be:  Assist  one  another; 
patronize  talent  in  one  another;  prefer  one  another's 
business,  shops,  &c.,  just  for  the  reason  that  it  is  better 
to  prefer  and  elevate  kindred  and  countrymen  before  all 
others 

"  XLI.  Should  Providence  make  you  prosperous  in  life, 
cultivate  the  habit  of  employing  more  of  your  own  race, 
than  of  any  other,  by  way  of  elevating  them.  For  this 
purpose  prefer  them  to  all  others — I  mean  all  black  people. 
Could  they  be  got  to  unite  in  helping  one  another,  and  to 
encourage  by  their  custom  those  of  their  own  people  who 
have  shops,  keep  that  custom  almost  exclusively  among 
themselves,  and  piny  thus  into  each  other's  hands,  they 
would  raise  their  influence  and  position  among  their  white 
neighbours.  Union  in  every  good  thing  is  strength,  and 
to  a  weak  party  or  race,  union  above  all  things  is  strength. 
Disseminate  this  idea  among  all  your  countrymen,  should 
you  have  any  influence  Avith  them. 

"  LI.  Expect  to  be  found  fault  with,  and  to  be  misunder- 
stood, and  even  misrepresented  in  the  world.  Be  not 
much  concerned  at  this  if  you  have  a  clean  breast  and  a 
pure  conscience.  Learn  in  secret  to  subdue  and  correct 
in  yourselves  what  you  know  to  be  wrong. 

"LII.  Insult  no  human  being;  but  fear  no  man  when 
you  are  in  the  right.  Cowards  insult,  brag,  and  boast.  A 
brave  man  and  a  gentleman  never  insult 

"  LIV.  Observe  well,  and  meditate  well,  and  draw  well 
your  own  conclusions  on  what  you  see  and  hear,  and  you 
will  not  fail  to  be  wise  and  intelligent 

"  LX.  Read  Sir  Walter  Scott's  life.  I  have  not  read  it. 
But  in  the  Moral  Philosophy  Class,  at  the  University  of 
Glasgow,  I  remember  that  my  good  old  Professor  Fleming, 
from  whom  I  learned  much,  told  us  that  after  the  loss  of 


CHARACTERISTICS.  435 

his  fortune  Sir  Walter  Scott  clenched  his  fist,  shook  his 
hand  and  said  :  '  My  own  right  hand  shall  do  it ! '  Trust 
in  no  right  hand  of  your  own,  but  in  the  living  God,  to 
do  anything  great  or  honourable.  If  3'ou  trust  in  Him, 
and  seek  His  blessing,  you  can  be  great  and  honourable." 

As  a  natural  sequel  to  these  words  of  counsel,  which 
show  his  intense  patriotism,  let  the  Rev.  Robert  Johnston 
speak  of  "Tiyo  Soga's  Kafirhood": — 

"  Tiyo  Soga  had  an  honest  pride  in  his  manhood  as  a 
pure  Kafir.  He  was  disposed  to  glory  in  his  Kafirhood. 
He  would  not  bow  down  before  any  one,  because  of  his 
own  black  face.  Burns's  song,  '  A  man's  a  man  for  a'  that,' 
was  a  great  favourite  with  him.  He  could  go  beneath  the 
outward  appearance  as  well  as  most  men,  and  gauge  true 
worth.  Hence  he  was  not  disposed  to  demean  himself, 
when  treated  slightingly  or  shabbily,  by  a  fearful  or  slavish 
submission.  He  seemed  at  such  times  to  grow  taller  before 
you,  as  if  he  would  say  '  I  also  am  a  man !  a  gentleman ! 
a  Christian ! ' 

"  Such  being  Soga's  disposition  and  such  the  attitude 
which  he  assumed,  he  was  often  and  deeply  tried  on  this 
side  of  his  nature.  Were  all  the  facts  known,  a  very 
interesting,  but  painful  chapter  might  be  written  of  him. 
On  this  subject  Soga  was  very  reticent.  So  far  as  I  know 
he  never  thoroughly  unbosomed  himself  to  any  one  on  this 
subject.  The  iron  entered  into  his  soul,  and  he  suffered 
in  silence. 

"  This  feature  in  his  character  grew  into  an  over-sensi- 
tiveness. As  far  as  my  own  experience  goes,  it  was  the 
one  and  only  thing,  that  gave  a  brother  missionary  any 
discomfort,  so,  that  you  might  not  seem  to  slight  him  or 
take  precedence  of  him.  It  was  not  that  he  wished  the 
first  place;  but  he  was  over-sensitive  about  his  colour  and 


436  TIYO   SOGA. 

nationality.     He  was  the  first  of  his  race,  who  had  risen 
to  the  platform  of  our  English  civilization. 

"  This  over-sensitiveness  cost  him  much,  from  the  time 
that  he  went  to  Scotland,  in  1852,  till  his  death  in  1871. 
I  learned  that  on  passing  through  the  Colony  to  join  the 
ship  in  Algoa  Bay,  and  on  the  voyage  home,  he  was  often 
and  deeply  wounded  in  this  part  of  his  nature,  although 
at  that  time  it  must  have  been  comparatively  in  the 
germ.  In  Scotland,  where  he  was  a  great  favourite,  and 
where  he  would  have  been  spoiled,  had  it  been  possible; 
where  he  had  a  circle  of  friends,  and  especially  of 
student-friends,  who  were  almost  more  than  brothers  to 
him,  and  where  he  was  comfortable  and  happy,  some 
seemingly  little  things  greatly  galled  him.  He  spoke  of 
his  marvellous  relief  on  becoming  a  missionary  in  the 
Havannah,  and  having  his  salary  at  his  own  disposal. 
During  a  voyage  of  three  months,  his  fellow-passengers 
belonging  to  the  Colony,  from  knowing  the  Kafirs  in  their 
aboriginal  state,  in  their  destructive  wars,  and  in  their 
slow  progress  towards  civilization,  looked  upon  him  with 
a  kind  of  suspicion  or  mistrust.  Although  no  complaint 
fell  from  his  lips,  it  was  a  great  trial  to  him.  It  made 
him  painfully  watchful  and  circumspect,  and  made  him 
feel  as  if  always  on  his  good  behaviour.  This  restraint 
was  all  the  more  noticeable  because  of  his  perfect  freedom 
with  ourselves. 

"  On  reaching  the  shores  of  South  Africa,  he  began  to 
realize  what  was  before  him,  and  did  not  know  how  he, 
the  first  civilized  and  educated  Kafir,  might  be  received. 
There  was  a  very  perceptible  deepening  of  his  anxiety  and 
restraint.  I  believe  that  he  inwardly  trembled,  although 
he  felt  himself  strong  and  brave  enough  to  face  and  master 
every  thing  that  might  befall  him.     He  had  a  simple,  yet 


CHARACTERISTICS.  437 

strong  faith  in  his  God,  as  to  the  work  for  which  he  had 
been  educated,  which  was  of  great  service  to  him  in  such 
trying  circumstances.  But  such  experiences  were  a  burden, 
which  seemed  at  times  ready  to  crush  him  to  the  very  earth. 

"  Not  long  after  he  had  landed  upon  his  native  shores, 
whilst  treated  kindly  and  rightly  by  most,  he  had 
occasionally  to  encounter  trials  which  made  him  more  a 
real  Kafir  than  ever.  Being  a  true  man  himself,  with 
worth  and  not  wealth,  with  character  and  not  mere  social 
position,  as  the  rule  by  which  he  gauged  all  men,  we 
cannot  wonder  that  he  was  at  times  deeply  wounded  in 
spirit,  and  became  more  jealous  than  ever  of  his  Kafir 
manhood.  He  had  a  quiet  and  growing  contempt  for 
men  who  allowed  colour  of  skin  to  rule  their  treatment  of 
others. 

"  Other  experiences  also  painfully  affected  him.  They 
were  small  and  contemptible  in  themselves,  and  when 
viewed  from  one  side,  they  ought  not  to  have  rufiled  his 
spirit,  or  have  sent  a  single  pang  to  his  heart.  But  we 
are  not  unprejudiced  judges.  The  more  that  we  think  of 
his  Kafir  sensitiveness,  and  of  his  solitary  position  as  the 
only  educated  man  of  his  race,  and  that  he  did  not  con- 
temn them,  but  made  them  one  in  all  things  with  himself, 
and  made  their  dishonour  his  own,  he  stands  out  before 
us  in  more  of  the  nobility  of  true  manhood. 

"On  one  occasion,  when  walking  with  a  few  friends 
along  the  streets  of  one  of  our  colonial  towns,  shortly 
after  our  arrival  in  1857,  we  passed  a  small  group  of 
men  at  the  corner  of  a  street.  As  we  approached,  it  was 
very  manifest  that  Soga's  presence  in  our  party  attracted 
notice.  The  talk  about  current  events  ceased.  There  was 
only  a  muffled  whispering,  the  subject  of  which  it  was 
not  difficult  to  divine.     Mrs.  Socja  was  also  with  us,  and 


438  TIYO   SOGA. 

it  seems  that  such  a  marriage  was  the  theme  of  their 
animadversion,  as  it  generally  was  throughout  the  Colony. 
On  passing  this  group  of  afternoon  loungers,  there  rang 
out  from  it — loud,  clear,  and  twice  repeated — '  Shame  on 
Scotland!'  There  was  no  mistaking  what  was  meant. 
We  all  felt  it  very  keenly.  One  of  the  company  whispered 
to  me,  '  Do  you  think  he  heard  it  ? '  Doubtless  he  did 
hear  it.  It  came  upon  him  like  a  stinging  blow,  which 
made  him  shrink  from  much  colonial  society,  and  made 
him  work  all  the  more  determinedly  for  his  despised 
countrymen. 

"  Such  trying  experiences  came  to  him  sometimes  from 
unexpected  quarters.  On  riding  once  in  the  Colony  with 
his  after  rider,  he  was  stopped  by  a  party  of  mounted 
police,  and  led  off  a  prisoner  to  their  camp,  to  have 
his  pass  rudely  demanded,  as  if  he  had  been  any  ordinary 
coloured  man. 

"  A  capital  story  of  one  of  his  hotel  experiences  is  told 
by  the  other  party  concerned  in  it.  Soga  having  arrived 
at  the  hotel,  and  being  very  much  jaded  after  a  long 
ride,  he  asked  the  hotel-keeper,  whom  he  knew,  to  show 
him  to  his  bed-room,  that  he  might  rest  awhile.  He 
was  shown  into  a  room  with  two  beds,  and  was  soon 
reclining  upon  one  of  them.  Shortly  thereafter  the  door 
was  opened,  and  in  walked  an  officer  of  the  German 
Legion,  who  looked  quite  aghast  upon  the  coloured  occu- 
pant of  the  bed.  He  could  scarcely  have  looked  more 
surprised,  if  it  had  been  a  South  African  wolf  or  hyena. 
Then,  with  a  tremendous  oath,  he  demanded  Soga's  busi- 
ness there,  and  who  he  was.  Tiyo  Soga  quietly  got  up 
from  the  bed,  and  raising  himself  to  his  full  height  and 
looking  this  war-minion  full  in  the  face,  said  to  him, 
"I  am  the  Rev.  Tiyo  Soga;  and  pray  who  are  you?" 


CHARACTERISTICS.  439 

This  officer,  on  the  same  evening,  wlien  at  mess  with  his 
brother  officers,  told  how  he  had  been  out-done  in  true 
gentlemanliness  by  a  Kafir.  Mr.  Soga  might,  as  he  usually 
did,  come  out  of  all  such  experiences,  well  and  bravely; 
but  he  was  not  the  less  affiscted  thereby.  After  them  he 
sometimes  felt  tempted  to  eschew  all  colonial  society,  and 
to  shut  himself  up  entirely  with  his  own  people.  They 
made  him  more  moody  than  he  otherwise  would  have  been. 
They  were  bitter  drops  in  his  cup,  and  took  not  a  little 
joy  out  of  one  of  the  most  useful  and  precious  lives  in 
South  Africa. 

"  Take  a  glimpse  of  what  I  have  called  his  Kafirhood, 
from  another  side,  and  in  different  circumstances.  The 
missionaries  of  the  Free  and  United  Presbyterian  Churches 
had  met  to  make  arrangements  for  the  missionary  occu- 
pation of  the  country  beyond  the  Kei,  and  especially  to 
secure  a  missionary  for  the  paramount  chief  Kreli.  After 
very  careful  consideration,  the  missionaries  present  came 
to  the  unanimous  decision  that  Mr.  Soga  was  the  best 
pioneer  for  this  new  field.  On  learning  their  decision,  Mr. 
Soga  intimated  his  willingness  to  accede  to  their  request, 
if  they  informed  Sandilli  his  chief,  to  whose  tribe  he 
chiefly  ministered,  of  their  decision,  and  the  reasons  for 
his  removal.  One  of  the  brethren  present  said  he  could 
not  see  that  Sandilli,  a  heathen  chief,  had  anything  to  do 
with  the  matter,  and  suggested  that,  as  Mr.  Soga  was 
willing  to  go,  he  should  be  disjoined  from  the  Mgwali, 
and  sent  to  the  new  field  without  any  official  communica- 
tion with  Sandilli.  This  little  speech  fell  like  a  spark 
of  fire  upon  gunpowder.  Soga's  Kafirhood  was  being 
trampled  upon  and  ignored.  His  chief  and  his  people, 
although  heathens,  were  still  men,  and  could  not  be 
treated  as  if  they  had  no  claim  to  manhood.     Common 


440  TIYO   SOGA. 

courtesy  was  to  be  denied  the  Gaika  chief.  It  was  too 
much  to  bear  quietly.  Soga  rose  to  his  feet,  and  in  a  few 
pointed,  burning  sentences,  exhibited  to  perfection  the 
Kafir  patriot  and  the  Christian  missionary,  and  made 
the  offending  brother,  and  all  present,  feel  and  heartily 
acknowledge  that  the  course  which  he  had  proposed  was 
the  only  one  that  could  be  taken." 

As  stated  by  Mr.  Johnston,  one  of  the  most  striking 
features  of  Soga's  character  was  his  exquisite  sensitiveness, 
which  was  not  wholly  the  result  of  education  or  civiliza- 
tion. In  daily  intercourse,  it  was  difficult  to  remember 
that  he  was  a  Kafir,  and  wished  to  be  considered  such,  as 
the  colour  of  the  man  was  often  completely  forgotten,  and 
one  had  to  be  perpetually  on  his  guard  lest  he  should 
wound  that  sensitive  nature.  He  was  not  offended  at  a 
trifle,  but  if  anything  seemed  to  depreciate  his  countrymen, 
or  to  bring  discredit  on  his  work,  or  if  he  imagined  himself 
insulted  because  he  was  a  Kafir,  he  became  completely 
unnerved.  He  suppressed  his  anger,  and  indulged  his 
grief;  but  at  other  times  he  resented  the  wrong  with 
unusual  dignity.  A  friend,  quite  unconscious  that  he 
would  wound  Tiyo  Soga,  was  unbosoming  his  troubles, 
and  in  the  fulness  of  his  heart  said  that,  from  his  own 
experience,  gratitude  was  a  virtue  foreign  to  the  Kafir 
character.  Tiyo  Soga  was  indignant.  "  Gratitude  a  virtue 
unknown  to  the  Kafir  character ! "  he  instantly  replied. 
"  I  shall  not  be  cast  down  by  that  statement.  I  consider 
it  a  stab,  which  I  deserve  because  I  am  one  of  them.  Are 
there  many^ instances  of  gratitude  among  white  people?  I 
have  learned  from  them  that  ingratitude  is  a  vice  common 
to  humanity!"  The  erring  friend  was  thunderstruck.  He 
was  one  of  the  last  men  who  would  wilfully  wound  Tiyo 
Soga;  and  now  amazed  at  the  statement  which  he  had 


CHARACTERISTICS.  441 

made,  he  offered  a  most  humble  apology,  whereupon  Tiyo 
Soga  replied  :  "  I  am  not  happy  when  any  unpleasantness 
arises  between  myself  and  my  friends,  because  I  know  it 
ought  not  to  be.  I  candidly  confess  that,  from  a  man  of 
your  fine  feelings,  the  sweeping  statement  about  Kafir 
ingratitude  made  to  a  friend  of  your  own,  and  belonging 
to  that  people,  startled  me ;  not  that  you  ought  not  to 
hold  your  own  opinion,  but  you  ought  at  least  to  have 
spared  a  friend  the  pang  of  knowing  and  hearing,  from 
your  own  lips,  that  you  have  such  a  conviction.  That 
pang  is  now  gone  in  consequence  of  your  genuine  frank- 
ness, and  I  shall  think  no  more  of  it,  other  than  as  one  of 
those  things  which  are  sometimes  of  painful  recollection 
even  among  friends  who  love  and  esteem  each  other." 

On  another  occasion,  Tiyo  had  been  asked  to  go  some 
distance  and  baptize  an  infant,  and  the  date  was  fixed  by 
mutual  agreement ;  but  when  he  arrived  the  father  had 
left  for  some  other  distant  town  without  even  volunteering 
an  excuse.  Some  very  imprudent  persons  suggested,  as  a 
reason  for  his  absence,  that  his  consort  was  opposed  to  a 
black  man  baptizing  her  infant.  Tiyo  Soga's  ire  was 
roused,  and  a  very  strongly  worded  epistle  followed  on 
the  heels  of  the  absent  father.  An  explanation  was  given, 
which  Tiyo  did  not  consider  satisfactory.  The  father 
wished  to  have  the  matter  amicably  settled,  and  to  con- 
vince him  that  his  wife  cherished  no  such  prejudice,  asked 
him  to  take  a  second  journey  at  his  earliest  convenience 
and  baptize  the  infant.  Tiyo  respectfully  declined  by 
saying,  "  I  do  you  the  justice  to  believe  that  you  entertain 
no  such  prejudices,  so  that  neither  on  your  part,  nor  on 
mine,  is  a  demonstration  necessary." 

A  tone  of  sadness  pervaded  his  whole  missionary  life. 
It  was  impossible  to  get  at  the  cause,  and  yet,  perhaps,  it 


442  TIYO   SOGA. 

was  the  fact  that  he  stood  alone.  His  social  position,  as  an 
educated  man,  made  him  tower  above  his  race,  yet  he  must 
have  felt  that  there  remained  an  unbridged  gulf  between 
himself  and  the  white  race.  The  fact  that  he  was  conscious 
of,  and  deeply  mourned  over,  the  degradation  of  his  nation, 
showed  itself  in  the  oft-repeated  sentence,  "  viy  poor 
countrymen.''  Yet  the  characteristic  sadness  did  not 
make  him  morose,  or  sullen,  or  uncongenial  as  a  com- 
panion. Deeper  than  his  sadness  was  a  well  of  happiness, 
liveliness,  and  mirth,  which  bubbled  forth  with  unre- 
strained freedom  when  in  the  company  of  kindred  spirits, 
and  in  conversation  on  congenial  subjects.  He  had  a  most 
hearty  joyous  laugh,  and  was  passionately  fond  of  hearing 
or  telling  a  good  story.  At  such  times  his  countenance 
beamed  with  gladness.  At  his  own  table,  when  friends 
were  present,  he  led  the  conversation,  and  had  a  remarkable 
tact  in  making  it  both  profitable  and  enjoyable.  Those 
who  knew  him  best,  therefore,  felt  that  his  despondency 
had  its  orioria  in  somethinor  foreiojn  to  himself. 

He  was  generous  to  a  fault.  If  there  was  any  service, 
great  or  small,  which  he  could  render  to  another,  he 
hastened  eagerly  to  perform  it.  It  was  not  done  grudg- 
ingly, or  by  way  of  patronage,  or  to  court  favour.  He  was 
often  imposed  upon,  especially  by  his  own  countrymen. 
The  Kafirs  are  not  at  all  backward  in  begging  anything ; 
and  he  was  at  the  mercy  of  the  Kafir  chiefs,  who  are  the 
most  inveterate  beggars  on  the  face  of  the  earth.  After 
he  removed  to  Kreli's  country,  he  was  besieged  by  impor- 
tunate applicants  for  presents.  "  I  have  discovered,"  he 
used  to  say,  "  that  I  have  a  most  extensive  relationship, 
for  every  second  Galeka  professes  to  be  my  cousin,  and 
urges  that  as  a  strong  argument  why  I  should  not  refuse 
his  request,  even  though  it  be  for  a  pipeful  of  tobacco.    My 


CHARACTERISTICS.  443 

cousins  make  me  pay  dearly  for  their  friendship !"  There 
is  a  sorb  of  community  of  property  among  the  Kafirs  them- 
selves. What  belongs  to  one  man  at  a  village  seems  the 
property  of  all,  always  excepting  their  cattle.  Borrowing 
and  lending  universally  prevail.  Tiyo  Soga  was  made  no 
exception  to  this  rule.  They  did  not  scruple  to  borrow 
the  costliest  useful  thing  which  he  possessed.  Apart  from 
this  vexatious  national  custom,  if  there  was  one  feature  of 
character  which  Tiyo  specially  detested,  it  was  that  of 
selfishness. 

Few  men  possessed  his  degree  of  self-respect.  He  had 
not  one  spark  of  vanity  or  conceit.  He  had  none  of  that 
offensive  aping  of  the  Englishman,  now  so  common  among 
his  young  countrymen ;  but  he  was  gifted  with  the  pride 
of  a  Howard  or  a  De  Vere.  He  not  only  preserved  the 
dignity  of  his  profession,  but  sustained  the  nobility  of  his 
Christian  character.  It  would  be  very  difficult  to  point 
out  any  one  meanness  in  the  life  of  Tiyo  Soga.  Apart 
altogether  from  his  Christian  profession,  he  was  too  manly 
to  stoop  to  base  or  ignoble  actions.  Some  men  have  state 
occasions  for  showing  what  they  are  capable  of  doing,  yet 
condescend,  when  occasion  requires,  or  when  off  their 
guard,  to  act  unworthily  and  meanly.  That  was  not  the 
principle  upon  which  Tiyo  acted.  His  aim  was  always  to 
be  a  true  man — less  than  a  true  man  never.  He  used  to 
speak  with  pain  of  the  manner  in  which  some  people 
bestowed  their  gifts  upon  him,  and  how  he  thought  less  of 
the  man  who  thrust  a  £5  note  into  his  hand,  for  his  church 
or  mission,  saying,  "  Take  that,  Mr.  Soga,  and  say  nothing 
about  it !"  and  then  turn  away  with  an  air  of  self-satisfac- 
tion, as  if  a  great  favour  had  been  conferred,  or  a  noble 
deed  performed,  and  as  if  the  donor  really  did  wish  that  a 
great  deal  were  said  about  his  generosity. 


444  TIYO   SOGA. 

He  was  singularly  free  from  that  mischief-making  pro- 
pensity of  speaking  evil  of  others.  His  reticence  regarding 
others  was  well  marked  by  those  who  knew  him.  To  him 
the  character  of  another  was  as  sacred  as  his  own.  He 
scrupulousl}^  abstained  from  maligning  either  friend  or  foe. 
If  at  any  time  the  conversation  verged  upon  mere  gossip, 
he  retired  into  his  shell,  and  sat  silent,  uneasy,  and  impa- 
tiently waiting  for  a  fitting  opportunity  to  turn  it  into  a 
profitable  channel.  He  often  playfully,  and  at  the  same 
time  reprovingly,  remarked,  "  T  see  you  white  people  are 
not  one  whit  behind  my  poor  countrymen  in  backbiting  !" 
He  was  a  man  you  could  invariably  trust.  What  was  told 
him  in  confidence,  he  buried  beneath  the  secret  folds  of 
his  heart. 

Tiyo  Soga  was  a  thorough  gentleman.  He  was  a  black 
man.  He  knew  it ;  and,  like  Othello,  never  forgot  that 
he  was  black.  Despite  his  colour,  there  never  lived  a  more 
polished  gentleman.  John  Selden,  in  his  "  Table  Talk," 
has  some  difficulty  in  defining  clearly  what  a  gentleman 
is ;  at  the  same  time  he  goes  on  to  speak  of  two  kinds  of 
gentlemen — the  gentleman  of  blood,  and  the  gentleman 
by  creation ;  and  then  he  adds  that  civilly  the  former  is 
the  better,  but  morally  the  latter  is  the  superior  of  the 
two.  Tiyo  Soga  was  a  "  gentleman  by  creation."  On  one 
occasion  several  young  missionaries — Tiyo  Soga  being  one 
of  the  number — had  to  make  application  to  a  "  gentleman 
of  arms"  to  be  allowed  to  extend  their  missions  in  a  new 
territory.  When  they  were  ushered  into  his  presence,  the 
reputed  gentleman  at  once  bluntly  and  somewhat  gruffly 
inquired,  "  Well,  Soga,  what  have  you  been  about  since  I 
last  saw  you  ? "  The  Kafir  minister,  somewhat  taken 
aback  by  this  unexpected  rudeness,  quickly  recovered  self- 
possession,  and  said  that  he  was  labouring  at  the  Mgwali. 


CHAKACTERISTICS.  445 

In  answer  there  followed  a  tirade  against  missions  and 
mission  stations.  The  gentleman  of  prowess  pronounced 
them  hotbeds  of  iniquity;  they  harboured  the  scum  of  the 
Kafir  race — the  scoundrels,  blackguards,  and  drunkards  of 
Kafirdom.  Missionaries  were  said  to  have  done  no  good 
whatever ;  and  in  proof  of  the  uselessness  of  mission  work, 
the  old  well-worn  story  of  the  Kat  River  Rebellion  was 
given.  Kafirs  were  not  worthy  of  being  civilized ;  and  if 
they  were  capable  of  moral  improvement,  the  missionaries 
were  the  most  unfit  men  for  that  work.  Much  in  the 
same  strain  followed,  to  the  great  chagrin  of  the  deputa- 
tion. Tiyo  Soga,  to  whom  these  invectives  were  more 
specially  addressed,  listened  until  the  speaker  had  exhausted 
his  abusive  vocabulary,  and  then  replied  with  calm  dignity: 
"  Our  object  in  waiting  upon  you,  sir,  was  not  to  discuss 
the  question  of  what  Christian  missions  have  accomplished. 
You  have  been  pleased  to  take  an  unfair  advantage  of  us. 
We  do  not  meet  on  the  present  occasion  on  equal  terms ; 
for  if  we  presumed  to  answer  your  statements,  you  have  it 
in  your  power  to  command  us  to  be  removed  from  your 
presence.  We  are  quite  prepared  however,  on  any  other 
occasion,  to  defend  ourselves  and  our  work."  Let  the 
reader  judge  for  himself  which  of  these  two  speakers  was 
the  true  gentleman. 

Another  incident  may  be  given  : — There  was  one  house 
where  Tiyo  Soga  had  been  a  frequent  and  welcome  guest 
whilst  he  was  the  missionary  at  the  Mgwali.  Only  once, 
however,  after  his  removal  to  the  Tutuka  had  he  visited 
that  house,  about  six  months  before  his  death,  and  the 
lady  was  from  home  at  the  time.  When  the  tidings  were 
flashed  across  the  Colony  that  the  Kafir  missionary  was 
no  more,  a  little  girl  of  the  family,  not  three  years  of  age, 
brimful  of  simplicity,  rushed  to  her  mother,  exclaiming, 


446  TIYO  SOGA. 

"O  mama,  Mr.  Soga  is  dead!"  "Hush!  child,"  said  the 
mother,  "you  don't  know  Mr.  Soga,  for  you  never  saw 
him."  "  I  do  know  Mr.  Soga,"  answered  the  child,  "  he 
spoke  to  me  on  the  sofa  there."  The  mother  then  asked 
what  Mr.  Soga  was  like  :  "  Was  he  a  white  man  ?"  "  He 
was  black,"  was  the  reply,  "  but  he  was  a  gentleman !" 
His  brethren  in  the  ministry,  his  associates,  his  intimate 
friends  recognized  and  acknowledged  him  to  be  a  true-born 
gentleman  ;  and  that  stammering  infant  unconsciously 
testified  to  the  foct ! 

"  No  man  lives,"  says  Carlyle,  "  without  jostling  and 
being  jostled  ;  in  all  ways  he  has  to  elbow  himself  through 
the  world,  giving  and  receiving  offence."  Tiyo  Soga 
received  his  share  of  jostling,  and  sometimes  it  was  very 
hard  to  bear  it  meekly.  On  one  occasion,  as  he  entered 
the  public  room  of  a  wayside  inn,  in  the  company  of  a 
gentleman  of  no  mean  repute,  he  was  suddenly  commanded 
by  the  owner  to  withdraw  his  foot  from  its  sacred  pre- 
cincts :  "  Come,  clear  out ;  we  allow  no  niggers  in  here." 
Only  after  much  insult,  and  when  his  fellow-traveller 
threatened  to  expose  the  conduct  of  the  hotel-keeper,  he 
ultimately  yielded,  and  with  very  bad  grace,  to  place  any 
refreshment  before  the  travellers. 

The  following  incident  Tiyo  used  to  narrate  with  con- 
siderable mirth.  He  had  gone  to  a  certain  seaport  town, 
which  is  pronounced  to  be  the  key  to  the  interior,  with 
the  object  of  meeting  a  friend  who  was  expected  by- 
steamer.  After  a  long  dusty  ride,  he  stood  at  the  door  of 
the  hotel  for  admission.  The  landlord,  not  knowing  who 
the  weary  horseman  was,  showed  him  to  a  small  room  in 
the  backyard,  perfumed  with  the  mellow  flavour  from  the 
stable.  The  apartment  contained  as  its  furniture  some 
forms  and  a  table.    On  one  of  these  forms  was  a  well-worn 


CHARACTERISTICS.  447 

pair  of  large  blucher  boots;  on  another  Tiyo  Soga  stretched 
himself  to  rest.  Presently  the  door  was  opened,  and  in 
walked  an  able-bodied  navvy  fresh  from  his  work.  On 
seeing  a  black  man  enjoying  a  siesta,  he  gave  a  long 
whistle  and  inquired,  ''Who  have  we  got  here?"  then 
suddenly  made  a  rush  to  the  boots  and  seized  them, 
exclaiming,  "  I  must  take  care  of  my  property!"  Tiyo 
Soga  instantly  burst  into  a  loud  laugh  at  the  grotesqueness 
of  the  scene,  as  well  as  at  the  idea  of  his  stealing  such  a 
pair  of  boots.  Explanations  followed,  and  the  Hibernian 
soon  discovered  that  his  property  was  as  safe  on  the  form 
as  in  his  hands.  By  the  agency  of  the  groom  Tiyo  Soga 
was  soon  shown  into  a  more  comfortable  apartment,  and 
on  the  following  day  (Sabbath),  as  he  conducted  a  religious 
service,  his  two  most  attentive  listeners  were  mine  host, 
and  the  Irishman  who  had  deemed  him  capable  of  stealing 
a  pair  of  boots  ! 

On  another  occasion,  passing  with  a  brother-minister 
through  an  insignificant  village,  they  were  accosted  by  the 
magistrate,  who  was  an  inveterate  joker,  and  a  man  who 
assumed  to  be  possessed  of  very  little  of  the  suaviter  in 
modo.  The  magistrate  most  cordially  greeted  his  com- 
panion, and  then  suddenly  turned  upon  Soga  with  the 
demand,  "  Where's  your  pass,  sir  ?"  The  joke  was  so  per- 
sonal, and  almost  cruel,  that  Tiyo  Soga,  on  his  return 
to  Kaffraria,  implored  the  Lieutenant  Governor  to  furnish 
him  with  a  passport,  so  that  he  might  be  free  to  travel 
without  violating  any  duly  authorized  law  of  the  Colony. 
Colonel  Maclean,  who  had  a  great  respect  for  Tiyo,  said 
that  he  would  not  for  a  moment  think  of  insulting  him 
by  providing  him  with  a  pass ;  but  on  the  oft-repeated 
request  he  penned  a  friendly  note  stating  who  Tiyo 
Soga  was. 


448  TIYO  SOGA. 

Such  were  some  specimens  of  his  training  "  to  endure 
hardness."  They  might  easily  be  multiplied;  but  as  some 
of  these  insults  were  amply  apologised  for,  when  the 
offenders  discovered  who  he  was,  they  need  not  be 
recorded.  Whilst  many  offences  were  sufficiently  atoned 
for,  they  were  not  forgotten  by  Tiyo  Soga,  as  indicating 
the  place  which  his  countrymen  held  in  the  estimation 
of  many.     He  had  to  bear  all  in  his  own  bosom. 

He  met  with  many  rebuffs  because  of  his  excessive 
modesty.  Some  young  natives  are  very  offensively  forward, 
and  many  mistook  him  for  one  of  these  upstarts,  and 
treated  him  coldly  and  superciliously  before  they  had  seen 
anything  questionable  in  his  demeanour.  As  an  instance 
of  his  humility,  a  gentleman  in  the  Kaffrarian  Civil  Service 
states,  that  whilst  resident  at  the  Transkei,  one  of  his 
domestics  came  one  evening  with  a  request  from  a  native 
who  was  benighted,  asking  if  he  might  be  allowed  a  shelter 
for  the  night  in  one  of  the  out-houses  with  the  servants. 
After  the  request  was  granted  the  gentleman  made  some 
enquiries  about  this  native  traveller,  and  discovered  that 
it  was  no  less  a  personage  than  the  Rev.  Tiyo  Soga.  The 
information  was  opportunely  received,  as  he  was  just  about 
partaking  of  the  hospitality  of  the  servants.  The  gentle- 
man, amid  many  expressions  of  regret,  brought  him  into 
his  house,  and  he  now  looks  back  upon  that  evening  as 
one  of  the  happiest  in  his  life. 

Tiyo  did  not  aim  at  being  an  orator;  he  spoke  as  a 
man  to  men;  and  that  kind  of  eloquence  he  possessed 
in  a  rare  degree.  You  invariably  felt  that  he  had 
something  to  say,  some  message  to  deliver,  and  that 
he  had  been  successful  in  giving  it.  There  were  a  deep 
spirituality  in  his  preaching,  and  a  plaintive  earnestness 
which  touched  a  chord  in  the  hearts  of  such  of  his  hearers 


CHARACTERISTICS.  449 

as  understood  something  of  the  painful  experiences  through 
which  a  soul  struggles  towards  purity  and  light.  You 
felt  that  he  was  speaking  from  the  depths  of  his  own 
experience.  His  discourses  were  carefully  prepared,  fully 
written  out  and  read.  He  was  not  a  slavish  reader,  but 
made  free  use  of  his  manuscript,  and  had  little  action  in 
the  pulpit.  With  a  slightly  husky  voice,  yet  not  unmusical, 
he  proceeded  calmly  and  affectionately  to  deliver  his 
message.  When  he  got  excited,  his  whole  face  was  lighted 
up  with  intelligence;  as  he  warmed  into  his  subject  he 
drew  the  tip  of  the  little  finger  of  his  right  hand  across 
his  upper  lip,  so  that  although  ready  to  forget  that  you 
were  listening  to  a  Kafir,  this  peculiar  gesture  reminded 
you  of  his  nationality.  There  was  no  flutter  or  hesitation ; 
you  were  carried  from  one  point  to  another  in  his  discourse 
without  eftbrt,  and  you  wondered  how  this  Kafir  held  you 
captive,  or  how  he  had  learned  so  much  of  the  divine  life 
in  man.  To  an  English  audience  he  did  not  deal  with,  or 
unmask,  the  cancerous  sores  and  ulcers  of  European  life, 
as  he  often  did  with  those  peculiar  to  his  own  countrymen, 
but  rather  expounded  such  passages  as  revealed  the  soul, 
panting,  yearning,  battling  through  sin,  and  seeking  closer 
union  with  God  in  Christ.  His  sermons  were  peculiarly 
instructive,  and  he  had  a  wonderful  degree  of  pathos 
when  entreating  men  to  close  with  the  oft-repeated  offer 
of  mercy  whilst  the  day  of  grace  lasted.  Whilst  he 
could  not  be  claimed  as  the  most  eloquent  South  African 
preacher  in  English,  there  was  something  about  the  whole 
man,  his  purity  of  life,  his  sincerity,  his  disinterestedness, 
his  affectionateness,  his  faithful  dealing  with  men,  which 
made  every  sentence  that  he  uttered  go  home  to  the  hearts 
of  his  hearers.  What  he  said,  and  the  manner  in  which 
he  said  it,  touched  the  consciences  of  men  far  more  power- 

2  F 


450  TIYO   SOGA. 

fully,  than  if  the  very  same  thing  had  come  from  the  lips 
of  a  European  preacher.  His  prayers  were  not  the  least 
striking  part  of  his  pulpit  ministrations.  There  was  a 
fervour,  a  devotion,  an  earnestness,  a  solemnity  about 
them  which  showed  that  they  were  no  mere  hasty  utter- 
ances spoken  unguardedly  at  the  throne  of  grace.  They 
betokened  secret  converse  with  God,  and  even  though 
the  sermon  had  fallen  short  of  your  expectation,  his 
prayers  could  not  pass  unheeded,  or  without  awakening  a 
feeling  of  reverence  even  in  the  most  listless  spirits. 

The  following  anecdote  shows  with  what  power  his 
words  went  to  the  hearts  of  men.  He  had  gone  to  preach 
at  the  anniversary  services  of  a  native  congregation. 
But  whilst  this  was  his  special  errand  he  was  afterwards 
requested  by  a  brother  minister,  to  preach  to  a  European 
congregation.  This  he  consented  to  do.  In  looking 
over  his  manuscripts  he  found  to  his  disappointment 
that  he  had  not  brought  with  him  the  sermon  which  he 
had  intended  to  preach,  if  asked  to  do  so  in  English. 
There  was  no  choice  now,  and  he  must  deliver  the  one 
brought  by  mistake,  which  happened  to  be  on  the  evils 
resulting  from  Christians  yielding  to  temper  in  their 
intercourse  with  each  other.  As  he  proceeded  with  his 
sermon  he  was  struck  with  the  marked  attention  of  his 
audience.  He  afterwards  ascertained  the  cause.  One  of 
the  most  prominent  members  of  the  congregation  had  been 
engaged  in  an  unpleasant  dispute  with  his  neighbours,  and 
so  violent  had  the  war  become  that  it  led  to  the  utter- 
ance of  language  quite  unworthy  of  professing  Christians. 
When  the  service  was  over,  he  was  abruptly  accosted  by 
this  individual  who  asked  him  very  plainly  if  that  sermon 
had  been  preached  purposely  to  insult  him  before  the 
congregation?     Tiyo  was  confounded,  and  explained  the 


CHARACTERISTICS.  451 

circumstances  which  led  him  to  deliver  the  sermon.  He 
soon  learned  from  others  the  cause  of  this  brusque  inquiry, 
and  when  speaking  of  it  afterwards,  he  expressed  his 
conviction  that  he  had  been  led  by  a  remarkable  providence 
unconsciously  to  speak  words  which  he  had  not  intended. 
He  drew  the  bow  at  a  venture,  and  the  arrow  pierced  the 
heart.  The  incident  proves  his  correct  knowledge  of 
human  nature,  and  his  power  of  unmasking  those  "  small 
sins"  which  after  all  are  the  most  ruinous  to  Christian  life 
and  character. 

In  his  own  tongue,  and  to  his  own  countrymen,  he  was 
truly  a  powerful,  eloquent,  and  most  remarkable  preacher. 
He  was  then  in  his  element,  every  attitude  studied, 
graceful,  and  telling,  yet  with  not  one  vestige  of  theatrical 
display.  One  who  knew  nothing  of  the  language,  by 
looking  at  the  preacher,  and  listening  to  the  rhythm  of  the 
carefully  worded  sentences,  would  have  noted  the  language 
of  every  motion,  the  speaker's  brightly  intelligent  eye; 
the  rapt  attention  of  his  audience,  the  breathless  stillness 
that  prevailed,  and  have  felt  that  he  had  great  power 
among  his  countrymen.  His  Kafir  sermons  abounded  in 
illustrations  borrowed  from  every-day  life,  and  from  past 
events.  The  smallest  incident  taught  a  lesson,  and  the  most 
trivial  circumstance  illustrated  some  truth.  If  his  English 
sermons  had  contained  one  half  of  what  was  so  abundant 
in  his  Kafir  discourses  he  would  have  ranked  very  high  as 
a  preacher.  His  description  of  battles,  his  word-painting 
of  a  landscape,  his  portraiture  of  those  scenes  which  make 
up  so  much  of  the  sorrows  of  life,  showed  that  his  talent 
was  not  bound  up  in  a  napkin.  His  Kafir  sermons  were 
most  carefully  thought  out,  and  full  notes  were  taken  to 
guide  him  in  the  pulpit,  which  gave  him  a  freedom  and  a 
naturalness  that  were  not  so  prominent  in  his  Enj^lish 


452  TIYO   SOGA. 

ministrations.  Yet  he  was  not  dependent  on  his  notes. 
When  preaching  at  the  heathen  villages,  in  his  itinerations, 
he  was  perfectly  at  ease,  and  exhibited  his  marvellous 
power  of  swaying  an  audience  unaccustomed  to  gospel 
preaching.  In  addressing  a  company  of  natives,  he  could 
arrest  their  attention  by  the  most  trivial  event  or  circum- 
stance, in  illustration  of  his  subject.  He  held  up  before 
him  a  high  standard,  and  he  seldom  if  ever  fell  below  it. 

Travelling  on  one  occasion  with  the  Gaika  Commissioner 
who  was  out  on  a  tour  of  inspection,  they  reached  one 
of  those  deep  stony  gorges  of  the  Thomas  River,  just  as 
the  shadows  of  evening  were  lengthening,  and  after  a  short 
thunderstorm  had  refreshed  the  atmosphere.    A  few  jsirds 
from  the  road  was  a  chief's  kraal  where  a  large  dance  was 
being  held.     The  dancers  in  two  columns  were  heaving  to 
and  fro  whilst  the  old  bard  hobbled  up  and  down  lashing 
them  into  excitement  for  a  final  effort  ere  they  separated 
for  the  night.    Tiyo  Soga  went  up  to  the  dance  whilst  the 
others  proceeded  to  their  encampment.     Next  morning  as 
a  messao^e  had  been  sent  to  the  villaojers  around,  that 
service  was  to  be  held,  a  vast  congregation  assembled  at 
the  tent,  many  coming  probably  from  curiosity  or  in  hopes 
of  getting  a  pipeful  of  tobacco.      When  all  was  ready 
Tiyo  Soga,  who  was  to  conduct  the  service,  stood  under 
the  shade  of  a  large  wild  olive  tree,  with  a  crowd  before 
him  whose  attention  could  easily  be  diverted  even  by 
the  bark  of  a  dog.     After  a  short  prayer  he  commenced, 
praised  the  people  before  him,  stringing  together  some 
snatches  of  the  rugged  language  of  the  bard  on  the  previous 
evening.     He  struck  a  chord.     All   eyes  were  riveted. 
Then  he  spoke  of  the  joy  he  felt  at  seeing  his  countrymen 
so  happy,  and  having  gained  a  willing  ear  he  glided  into 
his  text  saying  "  Whilst  you  are  thus  so  joyous  and  merry, 


CHARACTERISTICS.  453 

j'^ou  are  'living  without  God  and  without  hope  in  the 
world.'"  Argument  and  illustration  followed,  and  then  an 
appeal,  forcible  and  striking,  which  produced  a  marked 
impression  on  his  hearers. 

At  the  next  halting  place  he  was  again  the  preacher, 
and  delivered  a  totally  different  sermon  from  the  same 
text.  As  he  spoke  at  this  village,  a  middle-aged  man, 
one  of  the  audience,  frequently  enjoyed  a  hearty  laugh. 
When  the  service  was  over,  curious  to  know  the  cause  of 
this  unusual  merriment,  some  of  the  travellers  ventured 
to  ask.  The  man  replied,  "  I  was  not  laughing  at  any- 
thing, but  I  was  pleased  with  the  way  the  son  of  Soga 
spoke  to  us;  for  he  just  drove  a  bolt  right  through  us, 
and  riveted  it  on  the  other  side,  so  that  we  were  compelled 
to  listen  and  submit." 

His  services  were  greatly  in  demand  at  the  opening  of 
native  churches  and  at  their  anniversaries,  and  on  such 
occasions  he  taxed  his  feeble  strength  to  the  very  utmost, 
and  showed  to  what  a  height  of  pulpit  eloquence  he  could 
rise.  We  refer  to  one  such  occasion — the  opening  of  the 
church  at  Henderson,  Thomas  River,  on  a  Sunday  after- 
noon in  August,  1867.  The  church  was  overcrowded  by 
his  red-painted  countrymen — chiefs  and  councillors  and 
brave  old  Gaika  warriors  Avere  present ;  in  short,  such  a 
gathering  as  roused  hiim  to  the  sublimest  pitch  of  eloquence. 
He  gave  out  a  hymn  in  low  tones,  offered  a  short,  earnest 
prayer,  read  calmly  the  72nd  Psalm;  then  followed  another 
hymn,  after  which  he  gave  out  as  his  text,  "  His  name 
shall  endure  for  ever,"  &;c.  He  briefly  explained  the 
context ;  then  traced  the  names  of  the  long  line  of  Kafir 
chieftains,  the  names  of  the  brave  warriors,  the  names 
of  the  white  men  renowned  in  Kafir  history.  Then  he 
showed  how  one  by  one  these  illustrious  names,  as  the 


454  TIYO   SOGA. 

years  increased,  were  passing  into  forgetfulness.  He 
paused.  But  who  is  this  whose  name  is  immortal,  whose 
fame  will  be  increased  as  each  day  becomes  folded  into 
the  past  ?  He  told  it.  He  described  its  greatness.  He 
told  what  this  One  had  done ;  wove  into  his  sermon,  in 
sublime  language,  the  simple  story  of  Christ's  life-work. 
He  told  them  that  all  men,  even  Kafirs,  were  to  be  blessed 
in  Him.  Then  he  implored,  reasoned,  and  urged  his  coun- 
trymen to  partake  of  this  blessedness.  He  pictured  their 
degradation,  their  misery,  their  dispersion,  and  closed 
with  a  powerful  appeal,  beseeching  them  to  accept  of 
that  which  alone  could  make  them  a  blessed  and  a 
happy  people.  After  this  burst  of  eloquence  he  sat 
down,  panting,  heaving,  exhausted;  and  as  we  looked 
on  him  after  the  effort  was  over,  we  felt  that  his  end  was 
not  far  distant.  He  made  a  profound  impression  upon  his 
hearers.  The  chief,  seated  outside  the  church,  after  the 
service  was  over,  said  to  a  group  of  councillors,  "  There 
is  something  in  what  we  have  heard  just  now.  Buy 
European  clothes,  and  enter  these  churches  and  listen  to 
what  these  preachers  say,  and  never  again  say  that  your 
chiefs  stand  in  the  way  of  your  embracing  the  Gospel." 
An  old  hardened  sinner  exclaimed,  as  he  left  the  church, 
"  What  meaneth  the  son  of  Soga  thus  to  unman  us,  so  that 
our  eyes  have  been  bedimmed  with  tears  ! "  A  Christian 
remarked,  "If  these  words  do  not  awaken  us,  then  we 
are  the  most  incorrigible  of  people ! "  Such  was  Tiyo 
Soga  as  a  preacher  to  his  countrymen. 

As  a  platform  speaker  at  a  native  meeting  he  had  no 
equal.  Among  many  remarkable  speeches  on  public 
occasions  to  his  countrymen,  perhaps  that  which  is  most 
memorable,  and  which  produced  the  profoundest  impres- 
sion, was  at  the  jubilee  of  the  Rev.  John  Brownlee,  in 


CHARACTERISTICS.  465 

January,  1867.  It  was  a  perfect  masterpiece,  from  what- 
ever point  it  is  viewed;  as  a  retrospect  of  fifty  years' 
mission  work;  as  a  bright  picture  of  the  marvellous 
changes  produced  by  the  Gospel;  as  an  outpouring  of 
gratitude  to  the  many  faithful  missionaries  who  had 
sacrificed  so  much  for  his  countrymen;  as  a  loud  call 
to  profit  by  their  self-denying  labours ;  as  a  description 
of  Mr.  Brownlee's  life,  labours,  and  unblemished 
character;  and  as  a  touching  farewell  to  the  grand  old 
man  who  "  in  his  journey  homewards  had  crossed  all 
the  rivers,  and  before  whom  but  few  remained  now  to 
be  forded." 

In  reference  to  this  speech,  he  writes  thus  to  Mr. 
Johnston  : — ''  Nothing  has  astonished  me  so  much  as  the 
satisfaction  which  my  Kafir  speech  at  the  jubilee  seems 
to  have  given  to  many  friends.  It  never  entered  into 
my  head,  that  it  might  appear  in  an  English  shape ;  but 
on  request,  Chalmers  and  I  made  a  very  hurried  transla- 
tion of  it.  It  was  given  in  Kafir  to  tell  the  simple  truth 
to  my  countrymen  of  our  indebtedness  to  the  men  who 
have  done  so  much  for  us.  If,  therefore,  it  has  done  any 
good,  let  God  have  the  glory.  It  is  more  than  I  calculated 
upon.  I  suppose  that  you  and  I  have  fed  enough  on  human 
{)raise  to  find  that  the  most  substantial  food  for  the  soul 
is  to  do  good  for  the  honour  of  our  Master  and  for  the 
benefit  of  our  fellow-men.  The  best  applause,  which  is 
also  the  most  acceptable  and  satisfactory,  is  when  it  comes 
to  a  man  unexpectedly.  Your  own  '  well  done '  I  have 
always  valued  very  highly,  and  on  many  accounts. 

"The  subject  of  the  mutual  relation  of  missionaries 
and  farmers  in  the  work  of  native  elevation  is  too  deeply 
interesting  and  too  long  for  me  to  take  up  in  this  letter. 
I  shall  (D.V.)  take  an  early  opportunity  of  discussing  it 


456  TIYO   SOGA. 

with  you.  One  thing  is  certain,  that  both  sides  have 
much  to  say  that  is  mutually  beneficial.  The  real  diffi- 
culty at  the  threshold  of  the  question  is,  that  most 
European  farmers  do  not  seek  the  elevation  of  the 
natives  in  the  sense  that  you  and  I  desire  it.  Any 
process  set  in  operation  for  educating  and  civilizing  the 
natives,  must  turn  them  out  better  servants.  They  look 
with  extreme  jealousy  upon  the  efforts  made  by  good 
men  to  bring  the  natives  up  to  a  level  with  themselves. 
This  is  one  difficulty  at  the  outset,  but  I  shall  not  enlarge 
upon  it  just  now.  Meanwhile  here  is  a  question  for 
you :  '  Is  a  conference  of  missionaries  and  farmers  on  the 
subject  of  native  affairs  practicable?'  Sooner  or  later 
these  two  parties  must  try  to  understand  and  co-operate 
with  each  other. 

"  I  have  no  patience  with  the  narrowness  of  the  party 
who  oppose  the  union  of  the  Free  and  United  Presbyterian 
Churches,  on  such  paltry  questions  as  the  use  of  an  organ  in 
church.  I  have  sometimes  inwardly  despised  the  mistaken 
zeal  of  some  of  our  Scotch  friends  in  such  quibbles.  Pre- 
judice is  a  detestable  vice ;  and  in  theological  questions 
it  has  its  seat.  How  are  your  own  theological  opinions 
standing  the  friction  of  this  fast  age  ?  For  myself,  I  may 
say  I  have  lagged  behind,  and  have  not  kept  pace  with 
the  speculations  which  are  so  rife.  Life  is  short.  I  wish 
to  die  in  the  old  persuasions.  Fresh  views  are  not  only 
doubtful,  but  they  make  you  doubt  the  old,  and  leave  you 
with  little  to  lean  upon." 

Tiyo  Soga  was  a  man  who  entered  into,  and  sympathised 
with,  the  sorrows  of  others.  He  had  always  a  word  of 
sympathy  to  the  bereaved  and  afflicted.  Examples  might 
be  given  from  letters  of  condolence  which  he  wrote  to 
persons  in  no  way  associated  with  him,  or  identified  with 


CHARACTERISTICS.  457 

inission-work,  and  which  exhibit  the  depth  and  intensity 
of  his  fellow-feeling  with  the  griefs  and  trials  of  others. 
As  a  friend,  a  more  faithful  man  never  lived.  There 
was  an  irresistible  something  about  him  difficult  to 
define,  which  drew  one  closer  to  him  in  proportion  to 
the  knowledge  of  his  inner  life.  There  was  a  strange 
fascination  about  him,  which  made  one  feel  that  he  was  a 
true  man,  worthy  of  all  love  and  confidence.  He  could 
always  be  trusted.  Although  humble  and  retiring,  he 
exercised  an  influence  over  others  which  can  never  be 
lost.  The  secret  of  his  greatness  and  goodness,  which 
made  him  the  highest  of  his  countrymen,  and  the 
representative  man  of  his  race,  was  that  he  was  a  true 
Christian.  That  fact  showed  itself  at  all  times ;  in  con- 
versation, in  the  tones  of  his  voice,  in  the  gentleness  of 
his  nature,  in  his  blameless  conduct,  in  his  warm  shake  of 
the  hand  at  meeting  and  on  parting,  in  his  hospitality,  in 
his  unwillingness  to  ofiend,  in  his  home  life,  in  his  contact 
with  men  of  all  grades  and  colour,  in  his  preaching,  in  his 
prayers,  in  his  unwearied  labours,  which  taxed  to  the  very 
utmost  the  failing  strength  of  his  fragile  frame.  Tiyo 
Soga  was  a  Kafir,  an  educated  man,  a  missionary,  a 
orentleman ;  but  the  one  feature  of  his  character,  which 
towered  far  above  the  rest,  and  which  showed  itself  in 
every  look  and  gesture,  was  that  he  was  a  Christian. 


CHAPTER    XXII. 

SUNSET. 

"Sleep  sweetly,  tender  heart,  in  peace; 
Sleep,  holy  spii-it,  blessed  soul, 
"While  the  stars  burn,  the  moons  increase, 
And  the  great  ages  onward  roll. 

"  Sleep  till  the  end,  true  soul  and  sweet. 
Nothing  comes  to  thee  new  or  strange ; 
Sleep,  full  of  rest  from  head  to  foot ; 
Lie  still,  dry  dust,  secure  of  change." 

The  year  1871  found  Tiyo  Soga  weary  and  worn,  suffering 
from  great  physical  prostration,  yet  heroically  performing- 
all  his  duties.  From  the  1st  to  the  16th  of  March,  he  was 
at  King  William's  Town  attending  the  Board  of  Revisers 
of  the  Kafir  Bible,  and  took  part  in  the  translation  and 
preparation  for  the  press  of  the  first  thirteen  chapters  of 
the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  During  this  session,  as  on  many 
previous  occasions,  he  was  the  guest  of  Mr.  John  Samuel, 
head-master  of  the  Grammar  School  there,  who  showed 
him  no  small  kindness,  and  ministered  largely  to  his  com- 
fort. It  was  very  evident,  however,  that  his  working 
days  were  drawing  to  a  close.  He  suffered  from  a  racking- 
cough  and  great  exhaustion,  and  seldom  was  able  to  be 
present  at  the  Board  at  the  usual  time — 9  o'clock  a.m. 
"  Take  no  notice  of  my  late  arrival,"  he  said  to  one  of  his 
brother-revisers ;  "  I  get  no  sleep  at  night,  and  this  cough 
shakes  and  weakens  me  so  much  that  it  is  with  great 
difficulty  I  can  walk  down  to  our  meetings."    Mr.  Samuel 


SUNSET.  45  D 

observed  his  great  physical  weakness,  and  had  his  horse 
constantly  in  readiness  to  save  Tiyo  Soga  the  fatigues  of 
the  walk  to  and  from  the  Board ;  but  although  sometimes 
availing  himself  of  that  help,  Tiyo  had  a  singular  aversion 
to  cause  unnecessary  trouble,  and  would  rather  walk  to 
and  from  his  work.  The  cough  was  so  very  violent,  that 
he  had  frequently  during  the  day  to  send  to  the  druggist 
for  some  soothing  mixture.  He  was  never  absent,  and  it 
must  have  cost  him  a  hard  struggle  to  work  at  his  post 
until  six  o'clock  each  evening.  He  looked  jaded,  seldom  sat 
erect,  and  had  his  manuscript  resting  on  his  knees.  His  eye 
had  a  peculiarly  languid  expression;  and  though  cheerful^ 
a  weary  sadness  was  imprinted  on  his  countenance. 

During  this  session  of  the  Board,  he  wrote  the  following 
letter  to  his  boys  : — "  I  am  in  King  William's  Town, 
translating,  as  you  know,  the  Bible  into  Kafir  with  other 
missionaries.  It  is  eleven  days  since  I  left  home.  They 
were  all  well  when  I  left.  No  change  has  taken  place 
there  since  you  left,  so  that  God  has  been  very  good  to 
us.  I  was  very  thankful  to  hear  from  Willie's,  Miss 
Blackstock's,  and  Mr.  Bogue's  letters  that  all  of  you  were 
also  well.  I  hope,  my  dear  boys,  that  you  are  thankful 
to  God  for  all  His  kindness  to  you.  Begin  early  to  think 
of  God.  Love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  your  youth,  for 
as  men  grow  old  they  become  hardened  and  wedded  to 
sin.  You  must  attend  seriously  to  all  that  is  taught  you 
concerning  God  and  the  salvation  of  your  never-dying- 
souls.  Although  you  are  boys  you  have  souls  that  stand 
in  need  of  the  love  of  God  and  the  salvation  which  is  in 
Christ  His  Son.  You  need  that  quite  as  much  as  you 
require  food  for  your  bodies. 

"  Mr.  Bogue  and  Miss  Blackstock  speak  very  kindly  of 
you.     They  say  you  are  good  boys.     Now,  I  would  be 


460  TIYO   SOGA. 

very  grieved  indeed  it"  these  kind  friends  spoke  of  you  in 
any  other  way.  I  would  be  grieved  if  they  spoke  of  you 
RS  disobedient  boys,  or  lazy  boys  at  your  lessons,  or  dis- 
obliging boys.  Strive  then,  each  of  you,  to  have  a  good 
name,  and  keep  it.  Seek  God's  help.  It  would  be  a 
painful  thing  to  hear  that  you  had  got  a  bad  name  in  a 
foreign  land.  Try  and  have  a  good  name  among  your 
school-fellows,  and  in  the  estimation  of  your  teachers. 
Remember  also  that  you  are  the  children  of  a  poor  mis- 
sionary. I  am  not  rich.  How  are  your  brother  and  sisters 
to  be  educated  ?  Where  are  we  to  get  money  for  their 
education  ?  Be  diligent,  therefore,  in  your  studies,  so 
that  when  you  become  J^oung  men  you  may  be  able  to 
help  yourselves,  and  so  leave  us  to  help  your  younger 
brother  and  sisters. 

"  Be  not  forgetful  of  any  kindness.  Cherish  gratitude 
to  all  people  who  show  kindness  to  you.  When  you 
reached  Scotland,  did  you  write  and  thank  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Miller  of  London  ?  Did  ^-^ou  write  to  thank  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ashton  ?  Did  you  do  the  same  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Morgan 
of  Cape  Town,  and  Mr.  Stretch  of  Glenavon  ?  Did  these 
friends  ask  you  to  write  to  them  ?  But  even  though 
they  did  not,  you  ought  yourselves  to  think  of  them, 
and  acknowledge  their  kindness  to  you.  I  would  bo  very 
sorry  if  you  were  forgetful  of  this,  because  people  will 
soon  know  and  say  that  my  boys  are  very  ungrateful, 
and  ought  not  to  receive  any  kindness.  Attend  to  this, 
my  dear  boys,  and  ever  manifest  a  grateful  spirit.  There 
is  no  necessity  why  ]^eople  should  be  kind  to  you,  because 
you  have  done  nothing  for  them.  Old  Mrs.  Brownlee  is 
dead.  She  died  very  happily,  because  she  trusted  in 
Christ.  Before  she  died  she  said,  *  Heaven  is  my  home.' 
Old  Mr.  Brownlee  is  dying.     The  whole  of  one  side  of  his 


SUNSET.  461 

body  is  paralysed.  He  lias  been  a  faithful  servant  of 
Christ,  and  he  is  going  to  his  blessed  home. 

"  Kreli,  the  chief,  is  well.  I  think  he  is  going  to  war 
with  Ngangelizwe,  who  has  been  so  cruel  to  his  daughter. 
Be  not  forgetful  of  your  friends  here.  A  missionary  said 
to  me  that  he  once  sent  a  son  of  his,  a  boy  of  Allan's  age, 
to  England,  and  that  when  his  son  returned,  a  young  man, 
to  this  country,  he  did  not  know  his  father,  neither  did 
he  love  him.  I  was  sorry  to  hear  this,  and  said  to  myself, 
'  Although  m}'  boys  have  left  us  so  young,  I  hope  they  will 
not  forget  us.'     I  think  not. 

"  We  have  finished  translating  the  four  Gospels,  and 
are  now  working  at  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles.  Tell  Mr. 
Govan  this,  and  also  that  all  the  Societies  are  still  repre- 
sented at  the  Board  of  Translators.  I  am  going  to  have  a 
church  opened,  which  has  been  built  since  you  left.  May 
God  be  with  you,  my  dear  boys  !  May  He  bless  you  and 
keep  you,  and  save  your  souls  ! " 

The  last  act  he  performed  before  leaving  King  William's 
Town,  was  to  send  a  small  sum  of  money  to  his  boys ;  and 
as  he  was  paying  it  into  the  money  order  ofiice,  he  said  to 
a  brother-minister  who  was  with  him,  "  I  am  just  sending 
a  little  pocket  money  to  my  boys.  When  I  was  in  Scot- 
land I  often  felt  the  want  of  a  penny  which  I  could  call 
my  own."  With  reference  to  this  act  he  says  to  Mr. 
Bogue,  in  a  letter,  which  was  the  last  he  wrote  to  that 
friend :—"  King  William's  Town,  16th  March,  1871.— I 
have  sent  the  boys  a  post-ofiice  order  for  £1.  This  money 
they  are  to  draw  themselves,  and  take  to  you.  It  is  a 
little  pocket  money  for  them.  I  know  it  is  not  right  to 
give  too  much  money  to  boys,  but  it  is  a  worse  evil  to 
withhold  it  altogether  from  them.  If  their  companions 
and  school-fellows  have  pennies,  and  they  have  none,  it 


462  TIYO  SOGA. 

is  enough  to  break  their  boyish  spirit,  and  make  them 
covetous  and  unhappy.  Be  kind  enough  to  let  them  have 
two  shillings  of  it  every  Saturday  morning.  I  hope  to 
continue  sending  small  instalments.  My  reason  for  doing 
this  is,  that  it  may  be  one  way  of  making  them  remember 
their  home.  Be  kind  enough  to  point  out  to  them  the 
advantage  of  saving  something  even  out  of  this  weekly 
allowance,  small  as  it  is.  When  they  can  save  anything 
they  can  purchase  something  useful,  especially  books.  If 
they  wish  to  go  anywhere,  they  must  pay  their  own  fares 
out  of  the  amount  they  receive.  I  am  now  waiting  to 
hear  the  news  of  Dr.  Anderson's  jubilee,  and  if  my  letter 
reached  in  time  to  be  read  at  the  meeting." 

In  the  month  of  April,  the  church  at  the  Tutuka,  to 
which  he  refers  in  the  letter  to  his  sons,  was  publicly 
opened ;  and  as  he  has  himself  published  a  report  of  the 
whole  proceedings  on  that  occasion,  and  as  it  is  the  last 
letter  he  wi'ote  descriptive  of  his  mission  work,  it  must  be 
given  in  its  entirety: — 

"  The  16th  and  19th  of  April,"  says  Tiyo  Soga,  "  are 
days  not  soon  to  be  forgotten  in  the  history  of  this  station. 
The  former  was  the  day  on  which  our  small  native  church 
was  formally  opened,  and  the  latter  that  on  which  we 
met  with  all  who  came,  Christian  and  heathen,  and  with 
brethren  who  took  an  interest  in  the  onward  movement 
of  the  cause  of  Christ  among  the  native  tribes  of  Southern 
Africa.  With  all  these  we  met  on  that  Wednesday — to 
rejoice  together,  to  cheer  each  other  in  our  small  victories, 
and  to  rally  each  other  in  our  defeats.  I  cannot  but  feel 
assured,  by  what  was  said  and  done  on  these  (to  us  at 
least)  red-letter  days,  that  God  will  bless  His  own  word 
and  work. 

"  The  16th  (the  Sabbath)  was  ushered  in  by  a  brilliant 


SUNSET.  463 

sun  and  a  spotless  sky;  the  air  was  fresh,  soft,  and  mild. 
There  were  present  with  us — the  Rev.  Bryce  Ross,  from 
Pirie,  more  than  a  hundred  miles  from  this ;  the  Rev.  J.  A. 
Chalmers,  from  Henderson,  Gaika  Country,  eighty  miles 
at  least  from  the  Tutuka ;  and  the  Rev.  John  Sclater,  from 
Paterson,  which  is  about  forty  miles  distant.  Mr.  Chalmers 
was  to  open  the  church,  and  give  the  opening  sermon  in 
Kafir ;  Mr.  Sclater  was  to  take  up  the  second  service  in 
English,  and  preach  to  the  Europeans,  who  have  for  two 
years  attended  our  monthly  English  service;  while  the 
Rev.  Bryce  Ross  was  to  bring  up  the  rear,  and  close  the 
day  by  a  second  discourse  in  Kafir. 

"  At  early  dawn  Mrs.  M'Farlane's  sweet-toned  bell,  fixed 
on  a  covered  belfry  on  the  east  gable  of  the  building, 
awoke  the  sleepers  from  their  slumbers,  and  called  to 
preparation  for  the  duties  of  the  sacred  day.  At  sunrise, 
according  to  previous  intimation,  the  station  people  assem- 
bled for  prayer  and  devotional  exercises  in  the  old  Kafir 
hut,  which  for  two  years  had  been  our  place  of  worship. 
Thus,  in  confessions,  in  thanksgivings,  and  in  intercessions, 
we  closed  our  services  in  an  honoured  and  respected  old 
place,  though  of  humble  origin  and  barbarian  parentage  ! 
As  coincidences  and  contrasts  will  sometimes  happen  in 
an  unexpected  way,  I  was  astonished  to  find,  on  the 
morning  of  the  last  Sunday  in  which  religious  services 
were  held  in  the  hut,  that  the  wall  had  sunk  down  and 
opened  a  wide  rent  on  the  side  from  which  the  heaviest 
rains  set  in  here,  viz.,  the  south.  Had  the  supporting 
inside  poles  not  been  firmly  fixed  into  the  ground,  or  had 
they  been  smaller,  we  would  have  awoke  that  morning  to 
find  the  whole  fabric  a  complete  ruin.  So  our  new  house, 
even  looking  at  it  in  this  aspect,  was  not  opened  a  Sunday 
too  soon  ;  this  was,  in  fact,  done  '  in  the  nick  of  time.' 


464  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  I  was  struck  by  an  idea  in  the  prayer  of  one  of  our 
Christian  natives.  Referring  to  our  being  that  Sunday 
morning  in  the  old  hut  for  the  last  time,  he  said :  '  By 
what  we  were  now  doing  here  we  have  come  to  take  with 
us  the  blessing  of  the  old  house  into  the  new,  as  otherwise 
we  should  have  left  it  behind.  No  good  ever  came  of 
people  who  did  not  give  to  old  age  its  due.'  The  service 
which  lasted  three  quarters  of  an  hour  was  visibly 
edifying  and  refreshing,  and  formed  a  suitable  preparation 
for  those  to  come.  It  was  attended,  besides  our  own 
people  and  red  Kafirs,  by  native  Christian  representatives 
from  different  mission  stations,  Pirie,  Peelton,  Emgwali, 
Henderson,  Paterson,  and  Butterworth.  The  sight  alone 
of  these  dark  brethren  was  refreshing.  About  ten  o'clock 
appeared  the  lumbering  South  African  waggons,  the 
movable  home  of  the  traveller,  the  farmer,  the  missionary, 
the  trader,  and  now  of  the  diamond  digger !  When 
they  discharged  their  living  freights  of  interested  and 
expectant  worshippers,  the  neighbourhood  of  the  church 
soon  resounded  with  the  din  of  human  voices.  There 
gathered  together  also  horses  and  horsemen;  and  so  in 
the  course  of  the  next  half  hour  the  scene  presented 
a  lively  appearance,  and  worthy  of  a  better  descriptive 
pen  than  mine. 

"  At  eleven  o'clock  Mrs.  M'Farlane's  bell  rung  out  the 
summons,  that  those  at  some  distance  might  draw  near, 
and  that  the  dilatory  might  redouble  their  diligence,  as 
the  long-expected  moment  was  approaching. 

"  After  a  quarter  of  an  hour  the  bell  again  sounded  and 
then  the  people  assembled,  and  drew  near  to  the  old  hut 
church.  One  of  our  Kafir  missionary  hymns  was  given 
out,  and  'the  human  voice  divine'  in  no  contemptible 
harmony  and  pathos  swelled  our  song  of  praise.     I  felt  as 


SUNSET.  465 

if  we  were  singing  a  jubilee — as  if  the  redemption  year 
had  come,  the  year  of  glorious  Gospel  liberty,  the  acceptable 
year  of  the  Lord. 

*  Blow  ye  the  trumpet,  blow 

The  gladly  solemn  sound; 
Let  all  the  nations  know, 

To  earth's  remotest  bound. 
The  year  of  jubilee  is  come ; 
Return  ye  ransomed  sinners,  home!' 

"The  burden  of  our  own  favourite  native  hymn  was, 
the  future  triumphs  of  the  glorious  Gospel  of  the  grace  of 
God,  and  the  glory  of  the  Saviour's  peaceful  and  righteous 
reign  on  earth.  As  each  stanza  was  given  out  and  sung, 
the  multitude  advanced  by  solemn  and  slow  steps,  to  the 
new  house  of  God.  When  the  last  verse  was  given  out, 
we  were  standing  near  the  door;  and  when  it  was  all 
sung  Mr.  Chalmers  took  the  key  and  literally  opened  the 
church.  The  people,  Christian  and  heathen,  came  in  by  two 
doors,  and  soon  filled  the  house,  which  is  not  a  large  one. 

"  After  the  usual  devotional  exercises  of  our  Presbyterian 
service,  Mr.  Chalmers  gave  out  for  his  text,  Psalm  cxliv. 
11 — to  the  end.  After  this  first  service  there  was  an 
interval  of  half  an  hour.  Then  the  English  service  began. 
There  was  a  congregation  of  about  forty  Europeans 
including  children ;  but  many  of  the  natives  who  under- 
stood English  came  in.  So  the  audience,  though  select, 
was  a  capital  one.  Mr.  Sclater  addressed  them  from 
Matthew  xx.  23.  In  the  afternoon,  at  three  o'clock,  the 
last  service  commenced,  and  the  Rev.  Bryce  Ross  preached 
in  Kafir  from  Isaiah  xlv.  22. 

"  And  now  of  the  three  discourses  at  these  services  what 
shall  I  say  ?  I  trust  that,  though  not  altogether  inditiereno 
to  it,  the  good  missionary,  who  like  his  Master  goeth  about 
doing  good,  sowing  beside  all  waters,  and  scattering  with 

2  G 


466  TIYO  SOGA. 

a  wise,  liberal  hand,  the  seed  of  the  kingdom,  is  not  eager 
after  the  incense  of  human  praise.     I  will,  however,  tell 
the   Christian  friends  at  home  that   the   brethren  who 
confronted  the  Galeka  Kafir  audiences  were  chosen  of 
purpose.     We  cannot  help  it ;  every  minister,  in  this,  as 
in   the  home  country,  has  his  own  choice  men  among 
preachers,  and  the  three  who  proclaimed  the  Gospel  to  the 
Galekas  on  the  16th  of  April  were  our  own  choice  men. 
I  feel  very  sorry  indeed  that  I  cannot  convey  an  adequate 
idea   of  the   impression  which  all  the  three  discourses 
produced  upon  the  people,  native  and  European.     In  the 
house  the  impression  was  visible  in  the  rapt  attention,  and 
the  entranced  gaze  of  the  eye  and  kindling  face.    Outside 
the  house,  the  impression  was  declared  by  the  outspoken 
language  of  admiration.     To  say  no  more  about  these 
services,  I  have  the  wish  in  my  mind  at  this  moment,  which 
I  had  at  their  conclusion;  I  wish  that  my  people  here 
understood  the  value  of  preserving  anything  good  that  has 
been  done  for  them,  and  that  they  knew  the  usefulness  of 
published  discourses  on  special  occasions.     Would  that 
the  words,  spoken  by  these  brethren  on  that  Sabbath, 
were  in  the  hands  of  those  of  our  people  who  are  able  to 
read  for  themselves  !     All  the  three  discourses  were  most 
carefully  and  thoroughly  studied,  and  there  was  not  one 
word  out  of  joint.     They  possessed  the  precious  charm  of 
fine  devout  Christian  feeling  which  stimulates  and  edifies, 
and  they  were  eminently  instructive  and  suggestive. 

"  I  come  now  to  our  Wednesday  meeting.  Very  early 
in  the  day,  any  one  might  have  seen  (as  the  English 
pertinently  say)  that '  something  was  up.'  Besides  many 
good  things  expected  to  be  done  on  it,  there  was  also  to  be 
feasting y  that  is,  there  was  to  be  a  treat  of  well  cooked 
meat  eating.     To  the  Kafir  the  inyama  (flesh),  whether 


SUNSET.  467 

roasted  on  the  live  coals,  or  stewed,  or  simply  boiled  in 
the  pot,  is  the  greatest  of  all  luxuries.  The  Kafir's  relish 
for  the  inyama  is  something  purer  or  grosser,  if  you  like, 
than  that  of  John  Bull  for  his  roast  beef,  roast  mutton, 
and  roast  fowl.  The  highly  civilized  gentleman  has  his 
dressings  and  peculiar  cookings,  to  give  exquisite  flavour 
and  relish  to  his  favourite  dish.  The  barbarian  Kafir  likes 
his  simply  fresh  and  fat,  nicely  broiled,  and  nicely  boiled. 

"I  suppose  that  above  sixty  pots  of  meat  had  fires 
crackling  under  them  on  this  Wednesday  morning,  and 
more  than  the  half  of  them  were  brought  from  the 
neighbouring  Kafir  kraals,  by  previous  arrangement. 

"  The  real  business  of  the  day  began  at  eleven  o'clock. 
The  church  was  too  small  to  accommodate  all.    There  were 
three  times  as  many  sitting  outside,  as  those  who  had 
found  room  within.    Besides  the  brethren  who  preached  on 
the  Sabbath,  there  were  the  Rev.  J.  Longden,  Wesleyan; 
the  Rev.  James  Davidson,  Elujilo ;  and  the  Rev.  Richard 
Ross.     These  brethren  were  attended  by  good  contin- 
gents of  the  leading  Christian  men  of  their  stations,  who 
rendered  much  practical  service  in  the  way  of  addressing 
their  heathen  countrymen.     The  chief  Kreli  was  present, 
surrounded  by  a  strong  body  of  courtier  councillors.    The 
Rev.  Bryce  Ross  was  called  to  the  chair.    The  104th  Kafir 
hymn  was  sung,  and  then  the  Rev.  Richard  Ross  offered 
prayer.    After  a  few  introductory  remarks,  he  called  upon 
me  to  give  the  report  of  the  building  of  the  church.     1 
then  stated  that  the  whole  building  had  been  erected  at  a 
cost  of  £52  19s.  2d.;  that  of  this  amount  £26  15s.  had 
been  paid,  £10  of  which,  however,  was  a  grant  from  Scot- 
land ;  that  the  rest  was  raised  by  collections  at  the  door 
of  our  native  church,  and  by  small  donations  from  private 
persons ;  that  a  good  deal  of  the  work  in  thatch,  poles, 


468  TIYO  SOGA. 

and  wattles  was  done  by  the  station  people;  that  up  to  the 
services  of  last  Sabbath  there  was  a  debt  of  £26  4s.  2d.  still 
to  meet ;  but  that  I  was  glad  to  say  that  when  the  Sunday 
services  closed,  our  debt  was  reduced  by  £13  17s.  7Jd., 
leaving  on  this  Wednesday  morning  a  debt  of  £12  6s.  6Jd. 

"  I  further  stated  that  four  cattle  had  been  contributed 
towards  the  festivities  in  connection  with  the  opening  of 
the  church,  also  thirty-two  sheep  and  goats.  Of  the  cattle, 
one  was  given  by  Kreli,  the  second  by  Mr.  Fynn,  and  the 
other  two  by  two  European  traders.  The  goats  and  the 
sheep  came  from  the  red  Kafirs  in  the  immediate  neigh- 
bourhood of  the  station,  and  from  three  of  our  church 
members.  In  returning  thanks  for  the  liberality  of  our 
heathen  friends,  who  might  have  stood  aloof  altogether 
from  giving  any  aid  in  a  matter  more  immediately  con- 
cerning Christians  and  their  teachers,  I  could  not  but 
notice  also  the  good  feeling  of  the  Kafir  women.  They 
came  with  baskets  full  of  green  mealies,  with  pumpkins 
and  sugar  cane  for  the  special  use  of  those  who  had  come 
long  distances,  and  lived  on  the  hospitality  of  the  station 
before  those  days  of  our  services  and  meetings.  The  plan 
pursued  by  our  Presbyterian  missionaries  of  making  no 
distinction  in  meats  and  drinks,  between  Christian  and 
heathen,  works  most  admirably,  and  brings  about  very 
happy  results.  When  they  find  that  in  these  unessential 
earthly  things  they  stand  on  a  common  platform  with 
their  Christian  and  more  civilized  brethren,  the  heathen 
become  trusty  friends  of  our  mission  stations,  and  no  con- 
temptible supporters  and  helpers  on  special  occasions, 
such  as  the  one  whose  proceedings  I  am  now  reporting. 

"  After  this  report  was  made,  the  meeting  was  addressed 
by  all  the  missionary  brethren  present,  and  by  two  of  our 
native  Christians.     Mr.  Richard  Irvine,  of  Butterworth, 


SUNSET.  469 

spoke  also  to  the  people.  Kreli  and  Xoxo  (Mapassa's  son, 
second  chief  in  the  tribe),  and  Mazabele  of  the  Qolora, 
three  great  chiefs,  stood  up  one  after  the  other,  and 
returned  thanks  for  what  they  had  seen  that  day,  and 
assured  the  missionaries  that  they  had  received  the  Word 
of  God  in  good  faith,  and  that  they  must  go  on  as  they 
had  done  that  day,  speaking  and  teaching  among  their 
people.  They  were  all  ignorant,  but  they  had  been  taught 
something  that  day. 

"As  I  cannot  report  the  speeches  delivered  on  the 
occasion,  I  shall  content  myself  by  making  a  few  remarks 
suggested  by  things  done,  said,  and  seen  on  the  occasion. 
The  spirit  of  the  meeting  was  excellent.  What  was  said 
and  done  by  our  native  Christians,  on  that  Wednesday, 
gave  us  who  are  in  this  new  field  of  Christian  work 
exceeding  good  cheer  and  God-speed.  Their  enthusiasm, 
sympathy,  and  liberality  were  on  this  occasion  beyond 
praise.  Never  were  monies,  from  individual  members  and 
from  sister  churches,  given  with  a  freer  hand  and  a  more 
willing  heart.  Towards  the  close  of  the  services  of  this 
day  we  were  able  to  announce  amidst  acclamations  that 
the  debt  of  £12  6s.  6Jd.  was  cleared,  and  that  there  was  a 
surplus  of  £5.  There  has  been  gradually  introduced  into 
our  native  churches  a  system  of  giving  on  the  public 
occasions  of  church  openings,  which  is  both  good  in  itself 
and  provocative  also  of  liberality  in  others.  Our  Free 
Church  brethren  brought  it  into  practical  operation;  at 
all  events,  I  first  saw  it  in  connection  with  the  opening 
of  their  churches.  Every  speaker  closes  with  and  clenches 
his  eloquent  speech  by  the  telling  argument  of  '  I  end  by 
giving  10s.',  or  more  or  less. 

"  But  while  the  man  with  the  gift  of  speech  is  holding 
forth,  the  silent  man  and   woman  will  be  seen  quietly 


470  TIYO   SOGA. 

coming  forward  to  the  table  to  give  his  or  her  'tikie' 
(threepence),  sixpence,  or  shilling.  It  was  in  this  way  that 
the  liberality  of  our  Christian  natives  came  forth  on  the 
occasion  of  the  opening  of  our  Tutuka  Church ;  and  the 
red  Kafirs  came  out  in  a  way  that  told  most  pleasingly 
and  most  hopefully.  Kreli  led  the  way  for  them  b}^  a 
half  sovereign.  He,  like  a  good  gentleman,  rose  from  the 
one  end  of  the  house,  walked  up  to  the  table  under  the 
pulpit,  and  put  down  his  offering.  Mazabele  came  forth 
with  his  six  good  shillings,  and  in  a  fine  spirit.  Ah,  now 
the  chiefs  have  led  the  way !  And  the  red  Kafir,  who 
had  in  his  pouch  the  never-failing  tikie,  sixpence,  or 
shilling,  brought  it  forward,  or  handed  it  up.  It  would, 
of  course,  be  too  much  to  expect  that  heathen  Kafirs 
should  altogether  be  at  home  in  addressing  Christian 
assemblies.  The  constraint  and  embarrassment  are  often 
painfully  apparent.  I  once  witnessed  a  lamentable  illus- 
tration in  two  conspicuous  Fingoe  chiefs,  who  rose  up, 
one  after  the  other,  to  say  something  on  an  occasion  such 
as  the  one  I  am  now  celebrating.  Poor  fellows !  they 
stood  up,  and  sat  down  without  saying  anything  that 
was  worth  listening  to.  Their  intellects  on  the  side  of 
Christianity  seemed  to  be  completely  dried  up,  or  to  have 
had  an  awful  vacuum.  When  I  whispered  to  a  brother 
missionary  near  me,  that  I  had  never  witnessed  a  more 
melancholy  exhibition  of  imbecility,  childishness,  weak- 
ness, and  littleness  in  such  great  r)ien,  he  replied,  laughing, 
'  What  else  could  you  expect  ? ' 

"  My  Kafir  countrymen,  chiefs,  and  common  people,  in 
the  way  of  speaking  acquitted  themselves  upon  the  whole 
very  creditably.  But  even  they,  great  talkers  and  reasoners 
as  they  are  said  to  be,  were  not  at  ease ;  yet  according  to 
their    knowledge,  and  according  to  their    possession  of 


SUNSET.  471 

money,  they  did  well.  Those,  who  had  not  the  courage 
to  come  forward  to  the  table,  poured  an  unusually  large 
quantity  of  tikies  into  the  plates  at  the  doors  as  the 
meeting  broke  up.  Thus,  by  the  help  of  our  native  Chris- 
tians, and  of  our  heathen  friends,  we  did  more  than  clear 
the  debt  of  our  first  Galeka  native  church. 

"  I  have  not  seen,  but  I  have  heard  and  read  of  the 
Scottish  Highlanders'  love  and  attachment  to  their 
hereditary  chiefs.  I  trust  that  the  present  Scottish  races 
do  not  laugh  this  sentiment  to  scorn,  because  they  are 
now  under  the  same  benign  rule  as  the  English  people. 
Whatever  it  was  once,  it  kept  the  Highland  world  together, 
and  kept  their  patriotism  alive,  and  for  that  reason  was 
to  be  admired.  The  Kafirs  are  bound  to  their  chiefs  by 
the  same  devoted  attachment.  The  addresses  of  the  native 
Christians  to  Kreli,  the  hereditary  head  of  themselves,  and 
to  his  heathen  people,  evinced  wonderful  tenderness  of 
Christian  feeling  and  love  of  race.  They  urged  them  to 
burst  through  the  barriers  of  Kafir  customs  and  the  wiles, 
of  superstitious  observances,  and  to  open  their  country  to 
a  yet  wider  difiusion  of  the  Gospel.  They  told  them  that 
a  nation  that  will  not  educate  its  youth  must  go  back- 
wards, and  that  it  cannot  advance.  '  Why  so  much  ado,' 
asked  one,  *  about  the  cattle  dowry  for  your  daughters, 
which  made  you  reluctant  to  have  them  come  under 
Christian  influence,  lest  they  be  taught  the  Book  and  be 
converted  ?  Where  are  the  thousands  of  cattle  you  got 
in  exchange  for  them  before  the  cattle-killing  ?  Do  you 
have  them  yet  ?  Where  are  those  you  have  been  getting 
for  them  since  the  scourge  of  the  lung-sickness  came  to 
make  your  kraals  empty?  Where  are  they?  See  you  not 
that  nothing  of  this  world's  coveted  treasures  is  secure  and 
long  lasting  ?     Give,  then,  to  your  children  that  which  of 


472  TIYO   SOGA. 

a  truth  shall  endure — the  knowledge  of  God's  word,  a 
better  inheritance  than  of  cattle  V 

"  They  told  Kreli  that  the  small  chapel,  the  opening  of 
which  they  had  come  to  celebrate,  was  but  a  school-house 
in  comparison  to  the  one  they  expected  him  to  rear  by 
and  bye  at  the  Tutuka.  In  fact,  they  said,  a  future  school- 
house  it  was ;  and  that  when  he  should  himself  set  about 
the  collecting  of  the  funds  for  the  church  of  the  Kafir 
great  place,  he  would  get  all  from  Kafir  Christians  alone 
without  other  assistance.  Though  the  realization  of  all 
this  should  be  far  in  the  distance,  I  thought  it  a  very  happy 
idea  to  throw  out  to  the  Galekas. 

"  May  we  not  hope,  in  closing  this  sketch,  that  the 
events  to  which  it  refers,  as  they  regard  the  Christian 
native  or  the  heathen  native,  are  the  presage  of  a  more 
promising  day?  What  was  said  on  the  Lord's  day,  by  the 
brethren  who  preached  the  Gospel  in  all  the  fulness  of  its 
salvation  and  the  riches  of  its  grace;  what  was  said  on  the 
following  Wednesday;  what  fell  from  the  lips  of  various 
missionary  brethren,  and  from  Kafir  and  Fingoe  Christians, 
will  not  be  without  its  fruit  in  awakening  thought,  in 
the  conversion  of  sinners,  and  in  the  establishment  and 
strengthening  of  some  in  the  resolution  to  renounce 
heathenism  and  serve  the  Lord.  With  regard,  indeed,  to 
this  last  reference,  I  may  soon  be  in  a  position  to  tell  you 
that  what  we  have  been  pra3dng  for,  and  what  we  long 
saw  the  signs  of — an  inward  change  in  the  case  of  a  man 
of  note  in  this  tribe — has  at  length  come  to  a  glorious 
issue.  I  know  that  at  the  conclusion  of  the  Sunday 
services  he  came  out  to  me  like  a  man  almost  out  of  his 
reason.  As  in  the  case  of  all  minds  impressed,  so,  in  his 
case,  every  word  of  truth  uttered  that  day  fell  upon  ears 
and  heart  with  an  agitating  power,  until  the  emotions  of 


SUNSET.  473 

his  soul  could  find  no  utterance  in  human  language.  '  Sir,' 
was  all  he  could  say  at  this  time ;  '  I  think  I  must  go 
away  with  these  teachers.  Who  are  they?  Where  have 
they  been  V  Yet  he  knew  them  personally,  and  all  about 
them.  I  know  that,  since  these  events,  he  has  bouirht  a 
suit  of  European  clothes,  and  is  offering  for  sale  three 
splendid  oxen  to  buy  dresses  and  blankets,  and  to  change 
at  least  the  outward  aspect  of  his  Kafir  establishment. 
'  Let  Thy  work,  O  Lord,  appear  unto  Thy  servants ;  and 
establish  Thou  the  work  of  our  hands  upon  us ;  yea,  the 
work  of  our  hands  establish  Thou  it.' 

"  Our  Somerville  Tutuka  mission-church  is  an  unpre- 
tending building  of  forty  feet  long  by  twenty  wide,  built 
of  stout  poles,  wattled  and  plastered  over,  with  a  verandah 
all  round  to  protect  it  from  the  action  of  the  rains. 
Though  devoid  of  architectural  distinctions  and  elaborate 
ornamentations,  I  hope  it  will  answer  our  purpose  well. 
In  the  spiritual  as  in  the  natural  world,  beauty  is  bestowed 
without  respect  of  places.  We  have  seen  ugliness  and 
deformity  issuing  from  the  palaces  of  kings  and  nobles  of 
the  earth,  whilst  from  the  lowly  cottages  of  the  poor  ones 
of  earth  there  has  come  forth  comeliness  of  unexception- 
able attractiveness.  So,  then,  of  our  humble  '  Zion,'  it  will 
be  sacred  and  dear  to  us,  if  it  only  be  said  of  her :  '  This 
and  that  man  was  born  in  her ;  and  the  Highest  Himself 
shall  establish  her.'" 

Tiyo  Soga  was  singularly  cheerful  and  happy  on  that 
occasion.  He  was  elated  with  all  the  proceedings,  and  now 
looking  back  upon  those  memorable  services,  it  would  seem 
as  if  it  was  a  farewell  gathering  with  his  most  intimate 
friends  and  associates  in  the  mission  field.  At  the  public 
meeting  on  Wednesday,  his  thanks  for  the  sympathy  and 
help  accorded   to   him   were  unbounded.      In   a  speech 


474  TIYO   SOGA. 

addressed  to  his  countrymen,  he  enumerated  one  by  one 
the  friends  and  churches  to  whom  he  owed  a  debt  of 
gratitude,  and  then  concluded  by  formally  handing  over 
the  church  to  Kreli,  his  councillors,  and  his  people,  as  the 
place  built  for  the  worship  of  the  One  True  God.  The 
notes  of  the  speech  which  he  delivered  to  the  few  Euro- 
peans in  his  English  congregation  in  that  far  wilderness, 
though  fragmentary,  may  be  placed  before  the  reader,  as 
Tiyo's  last  recorded  utterance  to  Europeans  : — 

"  I  desire,"  he  says,  "  to  say  a  word  to  the  European 
friends,  whom  I  am  rejoiced  to  see  present  with  us  on  this 
occasion.  When  this  station  was  established,  three  years 
ago,  a  monthly  English  service  was  commenced,  which 
has  been  continued  to  this  day,  vsdth  only  a  few  occa- 
sional interruptions.  I  have  often  wondered  that,  in  this 
remote  corner  of  the  earth,  so  many  Europeans  should 
have  gathered  together  as  have  attended  these  services. 
I  trust  that  this  desire  to  attend  the  ordinances  of  the 
Christian  religion  will  always  characterize  the  European 
friends,  whose  lot  may  be  cast  among  our  heathen  popu- 
lation in  South  Africa.  The  presence  of  white  people 
at  the  Sunday  services  is  of  itself  an  instructive  lesson 
to  such  a  people.  It  is  a  testimony  on  behalf  of  God, 
on  behalf  of  His  day,  and  on  behalf  of  the  Christian 
religion.  I  would  say  further  to  my  white  friends, 
who  are  among  such  a  people  as  the  Kafirs,  that  if  the 
mission  which  is  near  them  is  a  Christian  mission,  by 
all  means  be  faithful  in  your  attendance  at  its  services. 
Do  so  for  your  own  sakes,  for  your  children's  sake,  and 
for  example's  sake.  Do  so,  although  that  mission  does 
not  belong  to  your  own  denomination.  Do  so,  although 
its  outward  form  of  worship  does  not  exactly  conform  to 
that  to  which  you  have  been  accustomed.     It  is  not  the 


SUNSET.  475 

Church  with  which  we  may  be  connected  by  baptism 
which  saves  us  poor  sinners ;  it  is  Christ  as  preached  in 
that  Church.  In  whatever  house,  therefore,  you  hear 
the  sound  of  His  blessed  name,  direct  your  steps  thither. 
Excuse  me  if  I  appear  to  be  egotistical  on  this  occasion  \ 
but  I  wish  to  give  you  my  own  experience.  I  have  come 
into  contact  and  friendly  intercourse  with  Christians  of 
all  denominations,  and  I  can  honestly  say  that,  were  it 
at  all  necessary,  there  is  not  one  I  would  for  a  moment 
scruple  to  worship  with  in  his  own  church.  I  have  had  no 
experience  with  Roman  Catholics  except  in  one  instance, 
and  in  that  case  I  had  to  beat  a  most  ignominious  retreat. 
I  am  sorry  to  say  that  my  first  friendly  intercourse  with 
a  Roman  Catholic  was  rudely  broken  by  the  rash  speech 
of  an  over-zealous  Presbyterian  brother,  and  we  were 
compelled  to  run  out  of  the  house  for  fear  of  our  heads 
being  broken  by  a  spade.  I  am  sorry  for  the  credit  of  the 
female  sex,  that  it  was  one  of  their  sisters  that  brandished 
the  spade  which  made  two  young  men  run  for  their  lives; 
but  even  that  circumstance  would  not  make  me  despise 
the  Roman  Catholics ! 

"  I  have  come  in  contact  with  Christians  of  all  denomi- 
nations, and  as  I  have  seen  them  all  loving  the  same  Bible, 
and  holding  it  as  the  one  rule  of  faith  and  practice ;  all 
loving  and  honouring  the  same  adorable  Saviour,  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ;  and  all  looking  forward  to  the  same  rest 
which  remaineth  for  the  people  of  God,  I  have,  as  a  Kafir, 
often  wished  that  these  good  friends  of  all  denominations 
had  never  perplexed  my  countrymen  with  their  isms; 
that  they  had  left  all  these  names  and  distinctions  in 
Europe  or  elsewhere ;  and  that  they  had  come  here  to 
evangelize  the  heathen,  bearing  only  one  name,  and  having 
only  the  one  distinction  of  being  Christiant!. 


476  TIYO   SOGA. 

"  I  have  to  thank  my  European  friends  for  the  Sunday- 
collection,  amounting  to  £15  12s.  8|d.,  which  has  helped 
to  build  this  small,  but  respectable  place  of  worship.  My 
native  Christian  congregation  is  very  small  indeed ;  and 
whilst  their  collections  are  far  below  what  I  could  wish, 
still,  if  their  mite  has  been  given  with  a  cheerful  heart,  it 
will  not  be  without  its  blessing  also.  No  man  can  ever 
be  the  poorer  or  the  worse  for  giving  out  of  his  earnings 
to  the  cause  of  God.  I  believe  that  an  offering  to  God 
is  a  prayer  for  the  spread  of  His  Gospel.  '  Be  not  weary, 
therefore,  in  well  doing.'  'There  is  that  scattereth  and 
yet  increaseth,  and  there  is  that  withholdeth  more  than 
is  meet,  but  it  tendeth  to  poverty.  The  liberal  soul  shall 
be  made  fat.' " 

His  former  congregation  at  the  Mgwali  sent,  by  the 
hands  of  two  of  its  elders,  a  donation  towards  the 
extinction  of  the  debt  on  the  new  church  among  the 
Galekas,  and  in  acknowledgment  of  this  gift  he  writes 
thus  to  the  Rev.  J.  F.  Gumming: — "Let  me  thank 
you  with  all  my  heart,  for  the  kindness  you  have 
manifested  to  myself  and  to  this  station  by  the  large  and 
unexpected  contribution  from  the  Mgwali  Church.  It 
was  a  worthy  present  from  an  elder  to  a  younger  sister  on 
her  marriage  day.  I  wish  you  would  publicly  convey  my 
unfeigned  thanks  to  your  congregations,  European  and 
native,  and  especially  to  my  friend  Mr.  Hughes,  who 
rejoiced  my  heart.  I  am  all  the  more  grateful  for  his 
subscription  because  it  shows  that  he  is  mindful  of  God's 
work  among  the  heathen.  Such  liberality,  assure  him, 
brings  its  own  reward  even  in  this  world.  The  church 
cost  us  £52 ;  but  the  Sunday  services  and  the  Wednesday 
meeting  cleared  all  the  debt  away  and  left  a  balance  in 
hand  of  upwards  of  £5.     The  Galekas  astonished  us  with 


SUNSET.  477 

their  enthusiastic  liberality :  '  The  Lord  hath  done  great 
things  for  us.' " 

By  the  assistance  and  support  of  the  Rev.  Thomas 
Millar's  congregation  in  Perth,  Tiyo  had  established  an 
out-station  and  placed  an  evangelist  at  a  spot  six  miles 
from  the  Tutuka,  and  was  now  desirous  to  establish  a 
second,  among  the  chief  Mapassa's  people.  It  is  with 
reference  to  this  that  he  writes  as  follows : — 

"  We  have  also  concluded  a  series  of  long  negotiations 
with  the  chief  Mapassa,  to  receive  my  second  evangelist  as 
a  permanent  resident  in  his  tribe.  These  negotiations 
have  lasted  for  more  than  a  year.  After  one  conference 
and  another,  we  were  asked  to  wait  until  word  was 
sent  to  us.  But  after  waiting  to  no  purpose,  we  had  to 
renew  our  application  by  personal  visitation.  This  was 
done  at  least  three  times.  At  last  the  chief  said  that  he 
and  his  people  were  willing,  quite  willing  to  receive  a 
missionary ;  but  I  must  apply  to  Kreli  myself  On  their 
own  responsibility  they  were  afraid  to  receive  a  missionary, 
or  to  give  any  spot  of  land  for  his  residence.  The  land 
was  not  theirs  but  Kreli's.  I  told  Mapassa  that  he  had 
made  the  case  more  serious  than  I  considered  it;  that 
though  I  hoped  to  apply  some  day  to  Kreli  to  allow  an 
ordained  missionary  to  be  settled  among  his  people,  yet 
just  now  in  asking  him  to  receive  the  evangelist,  I  was 
doing  what  I  had  already  done  among  the  people  of  a 
chief  less  important  than  himself  That  chief  took  the 
evangelist  on  his  own  responsibility,  and  gave  him  a  place, 
and  Kreli  said  not  a  word  against  it.  I  added  that  these 
men  are  known  to  the  chief,  as  my  mouth,  hands,  and  legs, 
in  the  furtherance  of  my  work  among  the  Galekas.  I 
introduced  them  to  him  when  they  came,  and  his  own 
word  to  me  when  I  first  came  was  to  go  anywhere  among 


478  TIYO  SOGA. 

my  countrymen  in  preaching  the  Word  of  God.  I  further 
said  to  Mapassa  I  did  not  wish  myself  at  present  to  raise 
the  serious  question  to  KJreli  of  an  ordained  missionary. 
I  have  talked  and  argued  so  much  with  him  to  obtain  his 
consent  to  the  stations  we  now  have  in  the  Galeka  country 
that  I  wished  a  breathing  time  both  for  him  and  myself,  but 
that  I  would  have  no  objection  to  be  at  him  again  after 
the  agent  had  been  settled  some  time  among  his  people. 

"  As  the  chief  was  well  aware  of  his  own  importance  in 
the  tribe — being  the  second  to  Kreli — he  cordially  deferred 
to  my  representations,  and  received  the  agent  who  was 
with  me  with  the  utmost  good-will.  We  are  now  waiting 
for  a  spot  which,  after  their  own  counsel,  they  are  to 
point  out  as  his  place  of  permanent  residence.  It  is 
quite  understood  that  this  is  the  beginning  of  a  future 
mission  station. 

"  I  am  thankful  for  having  gained  so  much,  as  I  have 
all  along  regarded  Mapassa's  tribe  as  an  eligible  field  for 
another  independent  mission  station. 

"  Take  him  all  in  all,  Mapassa  is  a  grand  old  Kafir  chief. 
I  knew  him  in  the  Gaika  country,  whither  famine  had 
driven  him  and  the  remnant  of  his  tribe,  after  the  cattle- 
killing.  I  itinerated  then  among  his  people,  and  often 
showed  his  family  a  little  kindness  in  their  day  of  woe. 
Now  they  remembered  all  that,  with  a  gratitude  which  is 
of  advantage  to  my  work  and  influence  among  them. 
Perhaps  of  all  Kafir  chiefs  Mapassa  is  the  most  supersti- 
tious. He  has  a  thoroufjfh  belief  in  the  maii^ic  of  witchcraft, 
and  charms,  and  dreams,  and  ominous  sounds,  signs,  and 
appearances;  and  his  voice  in  the  case  of  smelled  out 
witches,  in  the  hey-day  of  Kafir  independence  was  often 
for  death.  Intellectually  he  is  a  poet  of  no  mean  order, 
and  a  good  leader  in  \.he  day  of  battle — brave  to  a  fault. 


SUNSET.  479 

Like  the  fraternity  of  poets  (I  suppose)  his  eye  has  the 
'  wild  frenzy,'  especially  when  he  is  animated.     He  is  not, 
however,  like  most  of  his  countrymen,  a  good  speaker, 
debater,  advocate  or  judge.    He  is  full  cousin  to  Kreli,  and 
a  few  years  older.     May  God,  in  His  good  time,  open  up 
his  country  to  the  proclamation  of  the  Gospel.     Mapassa 
and  his  family  and  people,  steeped  in  their  superstitions 
and  darkness,  have  much,  very  much  need  of  the  Gospel. 
How  strange  that  the  prejudices  of  nations  should  so 
oppose  that  'grace  which  bringeth  salvation  to  all  men.'" 
To   come   to   a   final   settlement   about  a  site  for  an 
out-station, Tiyo  started  on  horseback  in  the  month  of  June 
for  Mapassa's  kraal,  but  made  no  provision  for  himself  in 
the  shape  of  food  if  his  visit  was  protracted.     The  chief 
was   from   home,  and  the  customary  hospitalities   were 
withheld  in  consequence  of  his  absence.     Tiyo  resolved  to 
wait  for  a  few  days  to  meet  with  the  chief ;  but  mean- 
while his  provisions  were  exhausted,  his  horses  strayed 
home,  a  cold  drizzling  rain  set  in,  and   he  remained  as 
a  prisoner  in  a  wretchedly  damp  hut.     After  spending 
several  days,  in  great  discomfort  and  without  proper  diet, 
he  started  homewards  on  a  Saturday,  and  rode  the  whole 
day  under  a  drenching  rain.     Arrived  at  the  Tutuka,  he 
found  that  his  family  had  gone  to   Butterworth  for  a 
change   during   his   absence.     Entering    by   one   of   the 
windows,  he  threw  himself  on  a  sofa  in  the  house,  and 
wrapped  himself  in  a  blanket,  as  he  was  now  suffering 
from    a    severe    attack    of    ague   fever   similar    to    that 
which  had  prostrated  him  on  the  previous  3'ear  at  Port 
Elizabeth.     Some  considerable  time  after  his  arrival,  his 
mother,  wondering  why  he  had  not  come  to  see  her,  and 
thinking  that  he  could  not  be  well,  sent  a  lad  to  enquire 
for  him,  and  he  was  endurins:  great  sufferino^  when  this 


480  TIYO  SOGA. 

youth,  and  then  his  mother,  found  him  and  ministered 
such  comfort  as  they  could  give  until  Mrs.  Soga  and  the 
children  returned.  He  so  far  rallied  from  this  attack  that 
he  was  able,  by  a  great  effort,  to  rise  and  speak  to  his 
English  congregation  on  the  following  Sunday.  The 
service,  however,  overtaxed  his  strength,  and  he  was 
again  prostrated.  On  4th  July,  he  was  not  present  at 
the  meeting  of  Presbytery  at  Paterson,  but  sent  an  inti- 
mation that  he  had  not  been  well  and  was  husbanding  his 
strength,  for  the  session  of  the  Board  of  Revisers  on  the 
following  week,  in  King  William's  Town.  No  alarming 
tidings  had  reached  his  brethren,  nor  did  his  messenger 
convey  any  unfavourable  intelligence. 

On  the  following  week,  he  was  not  present  at  the  annual 
Conference  of  missionaries  of  various  denominations,  at 
King  William's  Town,  nor  at  the  Board  of  Revisers  which 
met  at  the  close  of  the  Conference.  He  sent  a  special 
messenger  with  a  short  note  to  one  of  his  brethren  engaged 
in  this  work  stating  that  he  was  ill.  He  also  sent  the 
manuscript  of  his  translation  of  the  Acts  from  chapter  xiv. 
to  chapter  xxiii.,  verse  25,  at  the  end  of  which  was 
written  in  Kafir  this  ominous  sentence :  "  Strength  has 
failed  me  when  I  reached  this  point,  and  I  have  thrown 
it  aside." 

He  rallied  for  a  time,  and  seemed  to  be  getting  better. 
Yielding  to  the  benevolent  impulse  to  vaccinate  many 
natives  who  came  seeking  his  aid,  he  left  his  couch  on  the 
9th  and  10th  of  July,  and  performed  under  the  verandah 
of  his  house  this  labour  of  love.  The  intelligence  was 
once  more  cheering.  However  he  had  overworked  himself, 
and  a  relapse  followed.  The  attack  was  so  serious  that  he 
sent  for  a  medical  man,  who  waited  on  him  over  three 
days,  and  then  left  him  in  the  belief  tliat  the  worst  was  over. 


SUNSET.  4.S1 

The  Kev.  J.  F.  Cumming,  uneasy  at  the  conflicting 
reports  about  Tij^o  Soga's  health,  proceeded  to  the  Tutuka 
in  the  last  week  of  July.  "I  was  grieved  to  find  him," 
says  Mr.  Gumming,  "  much  worse  than  I  had  anticipate*  1. 
He  was  confined  to  bed,  and  though  striving  to  bear  up 
with  his  usual  spirit,  his  ailment  was  too  much  for  him. 
He  tried  to  get  out  of  bed ;  but  weakness  soon  compelled 
him  to  return  to  it.  He  was  exceedingly  glad  to  see  me. 
Although  I  intended  to  go  home  within  the  week,  it 
seemed  prudent  and  desirable  that  I  should  prolong  my 
visit.  During  my  stay  he  had  slight  attacks  of  fever ;  but 
I  cherished  the  hope  that  with  careful  nursing  he  would 
after  a  time  recover  at  least  some  degree  of  his  former 
health  and  strength.  Much,  I  thought,  would  depend  upon 
propel"  diet,  as  his  digestive  powers  had  long  been  dis- 
ordered. I  made  some  suggestions  on  this  and  other 
matters,  and  hoped  that  he  would  find  some  benefit.  He 
never  was  full  in  habit ;  and  the  little  fiesh  he  once  had 
was  sadly  reduced.  He  had  never  been  so  emaciated  as 
he  then  was,  and  the  swelling  of  his  feet  strongly  con- 
trasted with  the  thinness  of  his  limbs.  I  was  delighted 
with  our  sweet  Christian  communion.  It  was  most 
refreshing  to  listen  to  the  remarks  which  he  made  after 
I  had  read  some  appropriate  portion  of  Scripture.  When 
engaged  in  prayer  at  his  bedside  I  can  scarcely  remember 
a  time  when  my  soul  was  so  deeply  impressed  with  a 
sense  of  nearness  to  our  Divine  Master.  He  asked  me 
before  leaving  to  write  to  Dr.  MacGill  and  mention  his 
present  condition,  as  he  felt  himself  utterly  unable  to  do 
so.  In  fulfilling  his  request  I  had  hoped  that  the  next 
intelligence  concerning  him  would  be  more  cheering." 

The  Rev.  Richard  Ross  visited  him,  after  his  return 
from  the  Missionary  Conference,  and  found  him  laid  up  in 

2  H 


482  TIYO    SOGA. 

his  study,  to  which  he  had  removed  for  more  warmth  and 
quietness.  "One  subject  on  which  he  conversed,"  says 
Mr.  Ross,  "  was  the  deadness  of  our  native  churches  in 
these  parts.  When  I  told  him  I  had  just  returned  from 
the  Colony,  and  that  it  was  the  universal  complaint  of  all 
earnest  workmen,  he  said :  '  Yes,  one  feels  it  even  in 
preaching,  but  there  will  be  a  change  soon,'  and  so  it 
happened,  for  during  the  next  eighteen  months  more 
Kafirs  and  Fingoes  in  these  parts  joined  the  Church  than 
during  the  six  years  before." 

To  Mrs.  Richard  Ross,  Tiyo  wrote  hife  last  letter.  It 
is  dated  "  Tutuka  Mission  Station,  21st  July,  1871  :— 

"  My  Dear  Mrs.  Ross, — I  am  writing  this  in  my  bed. 
I  want  you  and  Mr.  Ross  to  understand,  from  mj^self ,  how 
I  really  am.  I  have  been  at  the  gates  of  death.  For  the 
past  few  days,  that  is,  since  Wednesday  I  have  been  on 
the  side  of  mending,  though  slowly.  I  cannot  walk  across 
the  room  without  the  aid  of  a  stick,  and  the  mere  effort  of 
lifting  my  foot  to  take  a  step  is  like  ascending  a  mountain. 
The  acute  stinging  pains  in  the  bowels  and  bones  are 
subsiding.  I  have  been  much  assisted  by  a  native  woman, 
Mrs.  Poawa.  My  appetite  is  not  improved  to  any  extent. 
Meat  is  too  strong;  bread  is  loathsome.  I  take  a  small 
cup  of  tea,  or  a  little  porridge,  and  light  preparations  of 
maezena,  sago,  and  tapioca.  I  am  thankful  to  say,  that 
although  I  despaired  of  life,  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  sustained 
me  by  His  grace  and  enabled  me  to  commit  all  to  Him 
without  fear.  I  would  rejoice  to  see  you  next  week ;  but 
I  may  tell  you  that  two  of  my  children  have  had  an  attack 
of  croup,  and  the  youngest  especially  caused  us  some 
uneasiness  and  is  not  yet  better. 

"  Tell  your  children  that  I  love  them  very  much,  and 
thank  them  for  their  kindness.    I  cannot  venture  outside ; 


SUNSET.  4.S:5 

the  air  is  too  strong;  my  sleep  also  is  not  yet  refreshing. 
The  doctor  gave  a  too  early  and  too  ftivourable  an  account. 
I  was  not  better  when,  and  after,  he  left. 
"  With  kind  regards  to  you  all, 
"  I  am,  My  Dear  Miis.  Ross, 

•'  With  many  thanks  for  your  kindness, 

"TlYO   SOGA." 

The  couch  on  which  ho  lay  was  so  placed,  by  the 
window  of  his  study,  that  he  could  look  out  in  the  direc- 
tion of  his  own  Gaika  country,  where  he  had  been  bom, 
and  where  he  had  laboured  zealously,  as  an  ambassador 
for  Christ,  for  upwards  of  ten  years.  We  do  not  expatiate 
on  the  watchful  care  of  his  loving  anxious  partner.  His 
faithful  old  mother  w^as  also  a  constant  attendant,  and 
sat  by  the  hearthstone  of  that  study  night  and  day,  antici- 
pating all  his  wants,  and  watching  over  the  ebbing  life  of 
her  beloved  son, ''  who  was  father,  husband,  son,  all  in  one 
to  her."  His  few  Christian  converts  got  a  cordial  welcome 
when  they  visited  their  dying  pastor.  He  had  a  cheerful 
word  of  Christian  counsel  for  each.  As  his  mother  sat  in 
silence,  often  did  she  hear  fervent  prayers  oflfered  by  her 
son,  in  the  stillness  of  night,  when  he  thought  that  no  ear 
Hstened  but  that  of  Him  who  is  the  Hearer  of  Prayer. 
"  When  I  visited  him,"  says  his  nearest  missionary  neigh- 
bour, the  Rev.  John  Longden,  Wesleyan  minister  at  Butter- 
worth,  "  on  the  first  two  occasions,  I  had  no  idea  that  his 
illness  would  terminate  as  it  did,  and  therefore  paid  but 
little  attention  to  any  particular  expressions  which  he 
uttered.  Our  conversation  was  almost  exclusively  religious. 
When  I  first  saw  him  I  remarked  that  he  doubtless  felt 
the  comfort  and  support  of  those  truths,  which  he  had  so 
long  preached  to  others.    He  said  that  his  mind  was  kept 


484  TIYO   SOGA. 

in  peace ;  that  he  had  no  fears  as  to  the  result  of  his 
illness ;  that  he  did  not  suffer  from  that  depression  of 
spirit  which  some  had  on  recovering  from  fever ;  and  he 
expressed  himself  perfectly  resigned  to  the  will  of  God,  as 
all  would  be  well.  When  I  next  saw  him,  he  conversed 
in  a  similar  strain.  On  this  latter  occasion  he  referred  to 
his  boys  in  Scotland,  as  having  had  the  measles,  and  been 
to  the  sea-side  for  a  change  of  air.  He  looked  so  much 
better,  that  it  never  entered  my  mind  that  he  might  be 
so  soon  removed  from  us." 

On  Friday,  11th  August,  Mr.  Richard  Irvine,  hearing  of 
his  increasing  weakness,  went  from  Butterworth  to  the 
Tutuka  to  visit  him.  He  noticed  a  great  change,  and  was 
convinced  that  the  prostration  could  have  only  one  issue. 
He  accordingly  despatched  messengers  to  the  nearest 
mission  stations,  urging  such  as  could  visit  their  dying- 
brother  to  make  all  possible  speed. 

That  same  night,  he  suddenly  gathered  all  his  strength, 
and  broke  out  into  an  audible  fervent  prayer  in  Kafir.  He 
first  professed  his  unwavering  trust  in  Christ,  and  spoke 
with  calm  assurance  that  he  was  clinging  implicitly  to 
Him,  and  leaning  upon  Him  with  his  whole  strength. 
Then  he  cast  himself  upon  that  Saviour  who  shed  His 
blood  for  such  as  himself  Then  he  prayed  that  his 
dispersed  countr3^men  might  all  be  gathered  into  the 
fold  of  Christ;  he  poured  out  fervent  supplications  for 
all  missionaries,  for  all  preachers  of  the  Gospel,  and  for 
the  membership  at  the  Tutuka,  that  the  word  of  God 
might  not  grow  cold  among  them ;  for  the  children  in  the 
schools ;  for  such  persons  as  had  caused  him  great  grief 
and  anxiety,  as  he  was  leaving  them  to-day  in  God's 
hands  ;  for  the  Galeka  tribe,  who  were  now  to  be  as  sheej) 
without  a  shepherd.     He  then  prayed  for  his  children, 


SUNSET.  485 

whom  he  had  sent  across  the  sea,  that  God  would  watch 
over  them  and  bring  them  up  in  the  love  of  Jesus,  and 
that  they  might  return  to  teach  his  own  people.  Here 
he  paused,  and  his  voice  was  silent.  Strength  had 
failed  him. 

In  answer  to  the  summons  of  Mr.  Irvine,  the  first  to 
arrive  on  Saturday  morning  was  Mr.  Longden.  "  On 
entering  his  room,  I  found  him  much  altered,"  says  Mr. 
Longden.  "  I  therefore  asked  him  if  he  felt  the  Saviour 
precious  in  his  present  circumstances,  and  in  a  whisper  he 
distinctly  answered  '  Yes!  ^"^^  ^^^at  was  about  the  last 
word  he  spoke.  He  made  a  great  effort  to  address  those 
who  were  with  him  in  the  room  ;  but  the  power  of  speech 
had  failed  him.  He  was  often  evidently  engaged  in 
mental  prayer,  and  retained  his  consciousness  until  within 
two  or  three  hours  of  his  death." 

Next,  with  breathless  haste,  came  his  old  school-fellow 
at  Lovedale,  and  one  of  his  most  intimate  associates  in 
mission  work,  the  Rev.  Richard  Ross.  "  I  arrived  three 
hours  before  the  last  great  change  took  place,"  says  Mr. 
Ross.  "  When  I  entered  the  study,  where  he  lay,  he  recog- 
nised me,  and  made  several  efforts  to  speak  to  me,  but  was 
not  able.  I  watched,  anxiously  and  sorrowfully,  for  some 
time  by  his  bedside,  eager  to  catch  a  single  sentence  from 
his  dying  lips.  Thinking  that  he  wished  to  change  his 
position,  I  was  gently  raising  him  in  my  arms;  but  on 
feelinor  his  increasino^  weio^ht,  I  looked  down  into  his  face. 
Calmly,  gently,  as  an  infant  falling  asleep,  he  breathed  his 
last  breath.  Without  a  sigh  or  movement,  except  a  slight 
opening  of  the  mouth  and  closing  of  the  eyelids,  the 
mortal  conflict  with  death  was  ended."  Richard  Ross,  at 
a  quarter  to  three  o'clock  on  Saturday  afternoon,  on  the 
12th  day  of  August,  1871,  laid  down  the  lifeless  body  of 


480  TIYO  SOGA. 

Tiyo  Soga.  All  the  struggles,  sorrows,  sufferings,  disap- 
pointments of  42  years  were  for  ever  hushed  in  death. 

Four  brethren  of  his  own  denomination,  Messrs.  Gum- 
ming, Chalmei-s,  Sclater,  and  James  Davidson  arrived,  one 
after  the  other,  to  find  that  they  had  come  to  the  house 
of  bereavement,  and  to  follow  to  the  grave  the  mortal 
remains  of  their  greatly  beloved  brother. 

On  Tuesday  forenoon,  the  15th  August,  an  English 
service  was  conducted  by  Messrs.  Gumming,  Sclater,  and 
Lono-den  in  the  house.  The  Kafir  service  was  conducted 
by  Mr.  Chalmers  in  the  church.  These  services  over,  six 
of  his  own  countrymen  carried  his  remains,  shoulder  high, 
from  that  very  church  which,  a  few  months  previously, 
had  been  opened  amid  great  joy.  At  the  grave,  the  Rev. 
Richard  Ross  conducted  the  simple  burial  service  of  the 
Presbyterian  Ghurch.  The  small  group  which,  with  bowed 
heads  and  muffled  sobs,  stood  around  the  open  grave  was 
deeply  impressed.  The  various  sections  of  the  Christian 
Ghurch,  and  the  various  nationalities  were  represented 
there.  Calmest  among  the  sorrowful  group  was  his  aged 
mother,  manifestinor  a  wonderful  fortitude  and  resignation, 
though  bereft  of  her  earthly  stay  and  support,  and  speaking 
words  of  consolation  to  some  whose  office  it  was  to  comfort 
those  that  mourn. 

He  was  buried  within  an  orchard,  neat  and  trim,  of  his 
own  planting,  just  as  the  spring  blossoms  were  appearing, 
and  the  trees  were  putting  forth  their  tender  buds.  A  small 
mound  marks  the  place  where  all  of  him  that  is  mortal  lies 
buried  until  the  resurrection  morn.  No  headstone  singles 
it  out  as  the  "quiet  resting  place"  of  one  of  the  noble  army 
of  martyrs.  Although  his  name  is  not  engraved  on  a  tomb- 
stone, it  is  written  in  indelible  characters  in  the  memory 
of  all  who  loved  him,  and  all  who  knew  him  loved  him. 


SUNSET.  487 

His  is  a  tragic  story  from  first  to  last.  Nameless  soriows 
lie  buried  within  the  grave  of  Tiyo  Soga — the  darkest  and 
most  oppressive  of  which  befell  him  after  he  had  proved 
to  the  world  that  a  Kafir  can  perform  the  noblest  act  of 
self-sacrifice.  From  channels  least  expected,  and  from 
men  who  were  well  able  to  strengthen  his  hands,  there 
came  during  the  last  years  of  his  life  the  very  bitterest 
wounds  that  can  be  inflicted  on  a  pious  earnest  soul. 
Cruel  disappointments  in  close  succession  hastened  the 
end  of  a  useful  and  beautiful  life.  Even  when  his  work 
was  done,  and  he  was  "  kneeling  at  the  threshold,  w^aiting 
for  the  opening  of  the  door,"  trials  in  his  mission  work 
gathered  and  spent  their  fury  on  his  ah^eady  wounded  and 
bleeding  heart.  But  from  all  trials  Tiyo  Soga  was  released, 
at  the  Tutuka,  on  that  memorable  Saturday,  the  12th 
August,  as  he  fell  asleep  "  in  sure  and  certain  hope  of  the 
resurrection  to  eternal  life,  through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ." 

"  Tiyo  Soga  is  dead ! "  That  simple  sentence,  when 
flashed  to  the  end  of  the  Colony,  and  carried  far  across 
the  sea,  sent  a  pang  through  many  a  heart.  It  announced 
the  departure  from  this  world  of  a  man  of  great  moral 
and  spiritual  worth.  The  Grahamstown  Journal,  the 
Cape  Argus,  and  other  Colonial  newspapers  pronounced 
a  funeral  dirge  over  the  loss,  which  Christian  missions  in 
South  Africa  had  sustained  by  the  removal  of  one  of  her 
purest,  noblest  sons.  All  men,  who  knew  and  understood 
him  felt  that  death  had  created  a  blank  which  never  could 
be  filled.  Other  Kafir  preachers  may  arise,  some  more 
eloquent,  others  more  brilliant;  but  at  its  best,  civilization 
can  never  produce  another  Tiyo  Soga. 

Within  the  eastern  wall  of  the  church  which  he  built 
at  the  Mgwali,  to  the  left  of  the  vestry  door,  whence  he 
had  often  come,  full  of  high  and  heavenly  thoughts,  to 


488  TIYO   SOGA. 

speak  to  his  "  poor  countrymen;'  is  fixed  a  tablet  prepared 
by  Mr  John  Macforlaue,  sculptor,  Dundee,  and  provided 
and  sent  to  Kafirland  by  W.  Whyte  Miller,  Esq.,  Edin- 
burgh.    That  tablet  bears  an  inscription  in  the  Kafir 
language,  being  the  translation  of  words  written  by  the 
late*  Rev.  Dr.  William  Anderson,  "  towards  whom  Tiyo 
Soga  ever  cherished  the  most  tender  filial  regard.     The 
inscription  is  not  only  true  and  discriminating,  but  worthy 
of  both  these  friends,  who  are  now  re-united  in  that  world 
where  no  difierence  of  kindred  or  tongue  or  people  or 
nation  can  ever  obstruct  their  blessed  fellowship."     The 
following  is  the  English  rendering  of  that  inscription  :— 
This  stone  is  to  keep  us  in  remembrance  of 
The  Rev.  Tiyo  Soga, 
The  First  Ordamed  Preacher  of  the  Kafir  race. 

He  was  a  Friend  of  God ;  a  Lover  of  His  Son ;  inspked  by  His 

Spu'it ;  a  Disciple  of  His  Holy  Word ;  an  Ardent  Patriot; 

a  Large-hearted  Philanthropist;  a  Dutifid  Son;   an 

Afi'ectionate   Brother;    a    Tender    Husband;    a 

Loving  Father;  a  Faithful  Friend;  a  Learned 

Scholar;  an  Eloquent  Orator;  and  in 

^Manners  a  Gentleman ;  a  Devoted 

Missionary  who  spent  himself 

in  his  Master's  service ; 


AIUD   AND  COGHILL,    PRINTERS,   GLASGOW. 


^ 


DATE  DUE 

AhmmmMM^ 

^ 

$ 

^.r-^ 

iifju^hx^ 

'^'^wiisi 

'W«MM 

! 

- 

CAYLORO 

PRINTED INU.S    A. 

i 

liiMi«MtM|)f 


lMlMaNNMIM«M)HMMN|*^^ 


1    1012  01041   65r[ 


=ir*i 


illteV)Ji)i)iwi)i|i^^^ 


egBMMNMiiiiMN^^ 


II  miiiiii  mmmm 


^::g^^^>^^;x,^^:^N■^:■:■^.x■■;.■■^^o::..v^.  ■^■v^^^^^v^>,  ..^..c.;; A,.Ai^:.:.>^_^:....._..^